November 30, 2023
Radon Screening Kits are available for loan from HCPL. Radon Screening Kits can be an important way to determine if you have high levels of radon in your home.
Radon is a gas that is produced when uranium that occurs naturally in soil breaks down. The gas moves through the soil easily, and eventually into the air where it is diluted to concentrations that aren't really concerning. However, it can also find its way into basements where, instead of being dispersed into the outdoor air, it accumulates to higher concentrations in your home.
Lifetime exposures to radon has been linked to lung cancer. Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. As such, Health Canada recommends that anyone with a radon level of 200 Bq/cubic metre in their home take action to reduce that level.
A digital Radon Screening Kit like you can borrow from HCPL can help show you how much radon may be in your home. You can borrow one of our kits for 6 weeks, and set it up in your home to take readings for 30 days. This will give you an initial idea of the radon levels in your house.
However, because radon concentrations can vary greatly over time, it is important to confirm your home's radon levels with a long-term test purchased from a reputable manufacturer. These tests need to be done for a minimum of 91 days and be sent to a laboratory for analysis. You can find these long term tests through the Take Action on Radon website.
In our digital Radon Screening Kit you will find a digital radon detector, a user guide, and an information booklet from Take Action on Radon.
Because radon levels vary greatly, and because ventilation can reduce the radon levels in your home, it is important to test for radon levels when they may be at their highest. In Haliburton County, this is during the heating season when our houses are closed up. This is why we will only be loaning our Radon Screening Kits between October and March of each year.
Kits will become available to place holds on again in the fall.
By HCPL Staff