What exactly is radon and how can it affect your health?

Odourless, colourless, and tasteless, Radon can’t be detected by our senses. It is produced by the decay of uranium buried in the earth’s crust. The concentration of radon is expressed in becquerels per cubic metre of air (Bq/m³). Need to be watched particularly in the basement. 

How does radon get into the house?

The atmospheric pressure inside a home is generally lower than the pressure in the soil surrounding the foundation. This pressure difference causes radon and other gases in the soil to be drawn into homes. Radon can seep into your home through any opening that is in contact with the ground, such as: 

• Crawl spaces (dirt floors) 
• Cracks in walls and floor slabs 
• Leaking joints in service or waste pipes (water, sewer, electricity, natural gas, oil, etc.) 
• Basement drains and other plumbing lines 
• Etc. 

According to Health Canada, all Canadian homes contain radon gas. Regardless of the age, type of construction, or location of your home, the only way to figure out your radon level is to measure it with a radon detector. 

While there is no standard for radon levels in Canadian homes, you should take steps to reduce or eliminate radon in your home mitigation if the annual average concentration in the areas occupied on a daily basis exceeds 200Bq/m³. 

• At up to 600Bq/m³, corrective measures are recommended within two years 
• If the concentration exceeds 600Bq/m³, it is better to deal with it within 12 months 

Because radon is heavier than air, it tends to concentrate in the lowest and least ventilated parts of a building, especially in the basement during winter.

Fortunately, the average radon concentration in Quebec basements is estimated to be about 35 Bq/m³. Several factors can cause radon levels to vary from one residence to another, including: 

• Soil characteristics 

• Degree of ventilation maintained in the house 

• Condition of the foundation 

• Barometric pressure in the building envelope 

• Weather conditions 

• Etc. 

Home office in the basement?

Beware of radon! Is your office, family room, or teen’s bedroom in your basement? Be sure to test the radon levels. The ground floor of houses without basements, especially if there is no crawl space, is also likely to have high concentrations of radon. The important thing to remember is that radon is heavier than air and therefore always stays fairly close to the ground. In other words, the higher you go in a building, the less likely you are to be exposed to radon. 

Well water is also a prime target for radon

Well water may also contain radon, which will be released into the air in the home when the water is agitated for showers, laundry, etc. But usually the concentration isn’t high enough to be a health risk. 

How can radon affect my health?

There is only one known risk associated with prolonged and repeated radon exposure, but it’s a significant one: lung cancer. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. It is associated with 16% of deaths. 

This is how it works: once released into the air in your home, radon breaks down into microscopic fragments that attach to the dust we inhale. These fragments then continue to disintegrate in your lungs, emitting particles that produce ionizing radiation. The more the cells of the bronchial tubes are bombarded by these radioactive particles, the greater the risk that they will transform into malignant cells. 

Radon even more harmful for smokers

The combination of radon and tobacco has proven to be a deadly cocktail. Health Canada data shows that the risk of developing lung cancer for a smoker exposed to high concentrations of radon throughout their life is as a high as 33%, compared to 5% for a non-smoker.