Radon Gas & Your Home

I was watching the news last week when a segment came on about Radon Gas & the latest awareness campaign around it when it comes to our homes.

I must admit that I didn't know that much about it & I was curious as to why it was suddenly in the media again. In my line of work it's important to keep up-to-date on issues affecting the homes in our area. Being able to direct my clients to resources & professionals in various fields so that they can make the most informed decisions possible is key to protecting their interests.

What is Radon? 

Radon is a colourless, odourless gas that can seep up from the ground into your basement if you live in an area with a high concentration of uranium. Uranium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil & water. 

The Canadian Cancer Society calls it a silent killer
& says that 13% of lung cancers in Ontario are attributable to Radon. Last month they put out a media release regarding the results of a survey they had commissioned & to garner support for proposed Bill 11, the Radon Awareness & Prevention Act.

A couple of professors at UOIT disagree with some of their claims and had this to say about it back in 2014 (read the full article HERE)

“Cancers attributed to radon exposure are purely hypothetical numbers based upon calculations using the not-universally accepted concept of a linear non-threshold risk-dose relationship,” said Dr. Waller. “Radiation does not produce a uniquely identifiable form of cancer. The fact is, there is no way to attribute an individual lung cancer to radiation exposure or suggest 3,000 annual lung cancer deaths due to radon alone. It is highly dubious to proclaim ‘no level of radiation exposure is safe’.”

Don't Believe the Hype?

The raw data from the Year 1 Radon results by Health region (page 11) indicates that Durham region had 100% of the participants who were tested, come in UNDER the acceptable limit set by Health Canada. At the same time the interim report was being released, Oshawa MP Colin Carrie was urging homeowners to have their homes tested....perhaps as a "better safe than sorry" course of action even though there was no indication that this testing was needed.

I think we're all used to media sensationalism, right? Living in a culture of fear & having other people's or entities' agendas forced upon us in the name of "what's good for us". Whether this is the case here or not, this is a test that's easy to perform for your own peace of mind if you feel you need it & there are solutions to address the problem should you have it.


Mike Holmes did an informative PSA video in conjunction with Mr. Radon, not necessarily unbiased since it's 2 companies that make money on home inspections & mitigation services, but the video does provide more information about radon & shows the process of testing & remediation (which involves installing a ventilation system in the home to safely disperse the gas).

Have a fabulous day!


 





If you would like to delve into the topic in greater detail, here are some links you may find helpful:


http://www.ctvnews.ca/hot-topics/Tags/Radon

http://oshawa.foundlocally.com/Home/Maint-DoesYourHomeHaveARadonProblem.htm

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/radiation/radon/survey-sondage-eng.php

http://www.on.lung.ca/radon/

http://www.crea.ca/sites/default/files/Radon.pdf

 http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/06/03/radon-levels-health-canada_n_5436149.html

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=74&ved=0CDEQFjADOEZqFQoTCJajhKHhgskCFYFNJgod6eELUw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fohba.ca%2Fpublications%2F466%2Fhits&usg=AFQjCNHqtA97I2pYGHCiXc7dVqKFtQgrhA&sig2=0pWVdv94q85pkKw1B--xZw&cad=rja






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