Radon is among the naturally occurring radioactive gases caused by uranium breakdown in soil, water, and rock. As a gas substance, radon slowly comes out from beneath the ground, water, certain building materials such as tiles, gyproc, bricks, and concrete containing tiny amounts of uranium. The breakdown of radon gas is its means to form more radioactive particles namely progeny or radon daughters, which can be breathed inevitably by the lungs.

In Canada, radon is one of the major health threats that have been causing lung cancer even to non-smoking citizens. It has also been founded that every particle of radon that enters into the human body by breathing can cause underlying conditions as an effect of cellular disturbances. In other words, a tad exposure to radon could actually change the wcellular perspective of a human body. However, given enough time to abstain from even a tiny bit of radon exposure would be vital to draw the effect out of the system and thus, put the regular cellular arrangement back in place.

Detecting Radon

Radon is seemingly impossible to be felt. It joins the air naturally giving it easy access to the human body as it breathes air with the lungs. It is not visible, nor does it smell. Chemists even say that basing from the particular form and composition of radon, it would perhaps be tasteless. However, it is in fact detectable with the use of various radon test kits.

Radon Test Kit

In a radon testing kit, there are different types of apparatuses, each unique in detecting the presence of radon in different platforms. For one, there’s the water testing apparatus that contains a radon sample in a vial, essential for further laboratory findings. This helps determine whether the radon in the surroundings are of high, compromising concentration or still at a viable level. Then there’s the radon siren that sets off an alarm sound whenever the concentration of the radon in the area is going beyond the safe line. There are other testing involved, including scintillation, short term and long term radon tests.

Radon Highs

Like the seasons, radon levels change. And usually the cause of that are the changes in the season. Radon concentrations drastically rise usually during the summer and winter seasons. The time of the day is also a factor that changes the concentration levels, like when the night releases more radon than the daytime. The reason behind that is the simple things that we do, from closing and opening the doors, and the adjustments we do to the blinds, windows, and generally the ventilation system of the area. In those acts, outdoor air intake is usually curbed while radon build-up rises.

Guidelines for Indoor Air Radon

In Canada, there are strict guidelines to be followed in order to avoid the undermining effects of radon. First of all, frequent measurements should be taken in every dwelling. That way, families would be able to avoid exceeding the 200 becquerels per cubic meter (200 Bq/m³) for every average area of occupancy. The immediacy of the action taken is also proportional to the level of concentration detected in an area. Therefore, the higher level of concentration, the more immediate remedial action should be taken – from the radon testing to the clearing.

To stress the importance of testing applications, radon when breathed into the lungs releases alpha particles, which in turn immolate the cells depreciating the entire functionality of the human organs as oxygen intake becomes less scarce by the moment. So in order to play safe and to keep your family away from radon related hazards, be keen in the act of radon testing.