Most homeowners take great pride in their properties. They work hard to keep external damage repaired, so that the grounds not only look nice, but are safe for all to enjoy.
They pull thorny weeds from lawns and prune low-hanging limbs of trees. They tack loose gutters up, make sure walkways and stairs are clean and safe with maintained railings, and repair any damage to decks or siding.
Inside the house, obvious troubles and discomforts, the leaking pipe, the faulty wiring – are usually pretty easy to take care of as well. However, it’s the problems you can’t see that go unnoticed and can be dangerous.
Elevated levels of radon can be found in more homes than you might think. The breakdown of uranium commonly found in soil after certain methods of building construction is the main cause of this nasty radioactive gas. Scentless and invisible, Radon can enter the home through drains in floors, sump pumps, or cracks in concrete floors or walls. It can sneak through the spaces sometimes found between walls and foundations, In some cases it can even leak through the walls themselves when the material of the wall is porous, such as brick.
The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that radon is second only to smoking as a cause of lung cancer in the United States. Long-term exposure can greatly increases the risk of cancer even for non-smokers; if you do smoke, radon gas is a bigger hazard still.
Your house can be new and sealed well, or old and prone to draftiness. Both types of houses have been found to contain high levels of radon. While your neighbors’ houses may well be clean, there’s only one way to guarantee that yours is as well.
Building Inspection in Chicago, or your city, are the go-to folks to test the levels of radon in your home. They can help you find and fix any possible entry points for the gas. Should your levels be higher than is safe, building inspectors will provide expert guidance on possible methods of cleaning up the gas to best fit your budget and keep your family protected.
Make sure the air inside your home is as safe to breathe as the yard outside is for your kids to play in. Talk to an expert in Building Inspection Chicago today and fight back against radon gas.