This was something I was not aware of until a Radon test was performed on our home in preparation for a sale. It seems that there is a radioactive particle called Radon (Atomic Number 86) that is a naturally occurring cast of from the earth. In older homes with basements and limited ventilation, these atoms become trapped in the air as they seep up from the ground. This could cause a problem over time as Radon has been linked to Cancer and needs to be mitigated to reduce that risk.

For residents of New Jersey, the legal limit on these tests is 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Unfortunately our home registered slightly above that at 4.1 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). This meant that we needed to have it mitigated prior to the sale. The good news for us is that the new house registered just below 2 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) which is what is usually found in the outdoors.

Fortunately, the process, aside from the hit to the wallet, is pretty straight forward. They drill a 3" hole in the floor of the basement, insert a 3" PVC Pipe into the ground beneath the foundation, then up and through the wall to the outside where a small cylindrical pump waits. From there it pumps the air up above the house and out into the air where it dissipates naturally.

The next steps now that the pump and piping have been installed is for a new test to be taken to validate the drop in Radon readings in the basement.

For the sake of family or if you plan on selling your home, be aware that this is something that should be looked at. It isn't too bad if you don't spend much time in your basement. If you have a finished basement however and spend quite a bit of time there, it could increase your exposure and as such increase the possibility of contracting Radon induced cancer.

For us the basement was pretty much utilitarian in use and therefore was not as big of an issue. I am just pleased that in New Jersey Home Inspectors now perform this test routinely. The higher the number the more exposure you and yours have to Radon. At the very least, do your own research on your area and whether or not something needs to be done.