Radon Tests: What They Are and Why Your Home Needs One

Your home should be a safe haven, but radon gas—a colorless, odorless threat—could be putting your family’s health at risk. Below, we’ll explain what radon tests are and why your home needs one for the safety of yourself and your family.

What Is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms when uranium and rock in soil break down. It can seep into any home through small cracks in the foundation or other openings. It most often accumulates in basements.

When inhaled over long periods, radon poses serious health risks, including lung cancer. There may also be a link between radon and childhood asthma, making its detection and mitigation a priority for parents. Toronto homes are particularly at risk due to the region’s uranium-rich rock formations in the Canadian Shield, which can produce higher radon levels in some areas. Since radon levels can vary even between neighboring homes, individual testing is crucial to ensure safety for every household.

How Do You Test for Radon?

Now that we understand why your home needs radon tests, what are they, and how do you do them? Testing your home for radon requires specialized equipment to measure levels over time. Short-term tests can run for two days or up to a week for a quick snapshot, while long-term tests, lasting three months to a year, provide more accurate results.

Professional radon testing services use continuous monitors that provide detailed, hour-by-hour readings, helping identify patterns that may affect results. DIY test kits are a more affordable option, but they only offer basic measurements without the in-depth analysis provided by professionals. For the most reliable results, it’s best to test during winter under closed-house conditions.

Radon Mitigation

Radon mitigation systems prevent radon gas from entering your home or remove it after it enters. The most common method, sub-slab depressurization, creates suction beneath your home’s foundation to draw radon gas out and safely vent it outside. This system typically includes a pipe that connects to a fan that runs continuously with minimal electricity usage, similar to a light bulb.

The cost of installing a radon mitigation system in most Toronto homes can cost up to a few thousand dollars, depending on your home’s size, foundation type, and installation complexity. While the upfront cost may seem significant, it provides long-term protection for your family’s health and can even boost your home’s resale value.

Take Action To Protect Your Family

Radon testing is a quick, affordable way to protect your family’s long-term health by ensuring safe air quality in your home. Testing takes just a few days and provides the information you need to decide on mitigation if necessary. Don’t wait—contact a certified radon professional or pick up a DIY test kit from your local hardware store.