Radon is a radioactive gas that is linked with lung cancer in humans, and thus poses as a health risk. It has been found in varying amounts in homes all over the United States, including Florida. Radon is produced from the natural breakdown of radioactive uranium in the soil, water and rock. It has the ability to move up to the ground to the air and into your homes if there are holes or cracks in the house's foundation.

As mentioned earlier, radon is a known human carcinogen. In fact, it has been pinpointed to be the leading cause of lung cancer in humans, second only to smoking. That means that if enough alpha particles from radon decay and radon gas enter the lungs, they can cause chemical and physical damage to the human lung, leading to illnesses and lung cancer.

The problem with radon is that is hard to detect; it is colorless and odor-free. It is also not possible to predict radon levels based on location measurements; low or no radon in one house does not necessarily mean that the neighboring house is radon-free as well. Thus, it is very important to have a radon gas inspection to ensure that you are not endangering yourself and your family from the risks of radon exposure.

Home inspection professionals usually including radon testing as part of their services. Radon testing is not usually a part of a general comprehensive home inspection service. There are a number of methods and devices that can be used to detect and measure radon levels. These include passive and active devices. Radon testing is usually done at the lowest habitable level in the home, such as the basement.

If you intend to buy a home, make sure you get a radon inspection service to confirm whether the home is radon-free or not. If you would like to renovate an unfurnished area of your home, make sure you test for radon before and after the project finishes.

Fortunately, the presence of radon in the house can be corrected through effective methods. You can either prevent radon from entering the house, or remove the radon that enters the dwelling. Sealing cracks, sub-slab depressurization or suction, sub-membrane depressurization, and block wall depressurization are just some of the known methods to control radon. The average cost of radon mitigation is about a thousand dollars.

Radon testing can also come in two ways relative to the length of time the testing is performed. Short time testing means your home will be tested anywhere from two to 90 days, depending on the device to be used. Long term tests remain in the house for more than 30 days to accurately tell the year-round radon average level in your area.

It is also possible for homes to be furnished with radon-resistant features such as plastic sheeting, a gas permeable layer, vinyl pipe, junction box, sealing or caulking, or through an electrical junction box. Having these radon mitigation features will definitely be a big advantage.