Radon is an odorless, colorless, and invisible radioactive gas that causes life-threatening health issues. Homeowners are often completely unaware that their house has significant radon problems until they conduct a radon test.
The only way to know for sure if your home does not have dangerous levels of radon is to perform radon testing. While any home can have high radon, certain locations and structural features significantly increase the likelihood that your house contains dangerous levels of this radioactive gas. As you consider your next steps, it is helpful to evaluate your situation by looking at the risk factors.
Unsure if your home is safe?
Radon testing your home could save your family’s life.
Professional Radon Testing and Mitigation Strategies
If you are concerned that your family may be living in a house with a radon problem, we strongly encourage you to acquire a radon test kit from a local hardware store or reach out to our team at Radon Crew to discuss professional testing and mitigation options. At Radon Crew, we are dedicated to keeping South Dakota families safe. We can help you design a mitigation strategy that clears the air and protects your future.
HIGH LEVELS OF RADON DETECTED?
We can design a custom mitigation strategy for your home.
Understanding Your Radon Risk Factors
Before testing your home for radon, it’s important to understand that radon is more common in certain parts of the country and in certain types of homes.
South Dakota Homes Are at Higher Risk
If you live in South Dakota, the geography beneath your feet is the number one sign that you should test for radon. Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water.
- The soil composition in the Upper Midwest, especially South Dakota, contains higher concentrations of uranium than many other parts of the country.
- According to the American Lung Association, South Dakota has one of the highest rates of elevated radon levels in the nation.
- A comprehensive review of data gathered by the EPA revealed that over 60% of all household radon tests in South Dakota showed levels of radon that exceeded the threshold for considerable danger (4.0 pCi/L).
Basements, Foundation Cracks, and Crawl Spaces
While radon comes from the ground, your house acts as a vacuum that pulls it inside. Radon levels most commonly exceed the threshold for significant risk in houses with specific features, layouts, or construction types that facilitate this airflow.
- Basements: Homes with basements are at a higher risk simply because they have a larger surface area in direct contact with the soil. Even if you have a finished basement, the “stack effect” (warm air rising and escaping through the roof) creates a vacuum at the lowest level of your house, sucking gas in through the foundation.
- Entry Points: Radon gas enters through cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes, and cavities inside walls.
- Crawl Spaces: Houses with crawl spaces—especially those with dirt floors—can be major entry points for radon. Because there is often no barrier between the ground and the subfloor of your home, the gas can accumulate in the crawl space and seep directly into your living areas through floorboards or utility gaps.
Homes with Well Water
While the primary entry point for radon is soil, it can also enter your home through the water supply. This is most common in homes that rely on well water rather than a municipal supply. Radon dissolves in groundwater; when you run a shower, wash dishes, or do laundry, the agitation of the water releases the radon gas into the air, where it can be inhaled.
Persistent Health Issues
Sadly, many do not realize they are in danger until they, or a loved one, experience serious health effects as a direct result of long-term exposure. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and the leading cause among non-smokers. If you or a family member are experiencing the following respiratory issues without a cold or flu present, it could be a sign of long-term exposure:
- A persistent cough that doesn’t go away.
- Hoarseness or wheezing.
- Shortness of breath during everyday activities.
- Coughing up blood.
- Chest pain, especially when coughing or laughing.
- Frequent infections like bronchitis or pneumonia.
Don’t Guess. Test for Radon.
The presence of a basement, a South Dakota zip code, or a well are strong indicators of risk, but a house without these features can still have dangerous radon levels.
Don’t wait until you experience worrying health symptoms.
By the time these signs manifest, the damage to your lungs has already been done. The only way to know is to test. Radon Crew offers affordable, accurate, and comprehensive testing and can install mitigation systems in properties of all sizes and types.
Clear the Air. Protect Your Future.
Discuss radon testing and mitigation options with trusted professionals.