Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. According to Health Canada, certain levels of radon trapped in the home can pose a risk of lung cancer. The risk increases for smokers.

Radon is formed when radium disintegrates and can be found in the ground and in the air. Outdoors, the gas poses little threat because the total accumulated amount is relatively low. However, indoors in basements and in crawlspaces, the gas can built up, reaching unsafe levels. Because it is a gas, it can seep into the home from the ground through any porous surface, including dirt floors, concrete and small cracks.

Testing is available to determine if radon levels in your home exceed the government standards. Certified inspectors will place activated charcoal canisters on the lowest level of the home. The canisters remain for several days before being picked up and transported to a lab. The lab measures the amount of radioactivity absorbed and determines the average level of radon for the testing period. A written report is provided to the client.

In June 2007, a new guideline for safe Radon levels was implemented across Canada. The new guidelines set a safe Radon level at 200 bequerels per cubic meter – a guideline four times more stringent that the old one.

If more than 200 bequerels per cubic meter is uncovered, mitigation is warranted. This may include sealing basement floors and walls, or providing better ventilation to move the Radon out of the home.