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    A blog about radon

    Radon 101

June 3, 2022

4 Easy Steps to finding the right Radon Mitigation Contractor in Canada

If you need to lower the radon levels in your home, you will need a radon mitigation system installed by a professional contractor. You might not know how to select the right contractor. At Performance Radon Inc., we provide radon mitigation for Regina area homes. But we can’t help everyone, so we put together a list that Canadian homeowners can use to find a great radon mitigation contractor in your area.

  1.  Find a C-NRPP certified contractor for your area
  2. Contact at least two contractor for quotes
  3. Review the radon mitigation proposals
  4. Hire your contractor

Step 1
Find your local C-NRPP certified contractors – Find certified Canadian radon mitigation contractors HERE

Always hire a CNRPP (Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program) Certified radon mitigation contractor. By hiring a CNRPP Certified Radon Mitigation Contractor you will know that the business performing the work has trained people who can safely and effectively lower the radon levels in your home.

If you find your contractor any other way then on the C-NRPP website, verify your contractors’ credentials by going to CNRPP website and finding your contractor. There are contractors who have attempted to falsely claim they are certified, when in fact they are not. The only way to know for sure is to go to the CNRPP website and confirm.

Step 2
Get at least two quotes. You will be very surprised the way different radon mitigation contractors’ operate. It’s not uncommon to find some pushy or abrasive contractors who do a poor job of communication. Often, these contractors will tell you what you need without ever listening to you. While other contractors listen to you and care about your needs. Communication is the key element in any successful radon mitigation project. If communication is not good during the proposal process, this can be a red flag.

** BE ALERT ** Radon mitigation contractors have been known to use scare tactics to win jobs. It is a huge RED FLAG if your contractor does something such as placing the radon tester in a sump, crawl space or sewer access. Find another contractor and tell them about your experience. Any C-NRPP certified contractor can explain to you the proper way to test for radon.

If at any time during the radon mitigation proposal process a contractor makes you feel unsafe or scared, STOP and call another contractor. It is rare to have radon levels so high that a contractor needs to instill fear into a client. A second opinion is the best thing to do in this situation.

Step 3
Review the radon mitigation proposals. Look for in-depth proposals that explain the process fully. The radon mitigation proposal should include the prices, proposed solution in a clear and easy to understand way. It should also contain any working conditions relating to safety and procedures needed during the radon mitigation job.

Check the contractors’ warranties. Some contractors will offer a guarantee that the radon level to be below a certain rate. Compare and contrast the proposals and find that one that explains the process the best. Radon mitigation proposals should also include references to following the Heath Canada radon recommendations. All C-NRPP contracts should be following the Health Canada process.

Step 4
Hire Your Contractor – Once you have found the best radon mitigation contractor for you, hire that company. Some contractors will require a small deposit, while others do not. You should never pay the entire cost upfront, only after the radon mitigation work is completed. A reasonable deposit is $500, anything more is probably unnecessary for radon mitigation project.

We hope this list is helpful while you find a hire a radon mitigation contractor for your home.  If you have any questions about this process, please contact us and we will be happy to answer your questions.

July 15, 2021

Why Regina homes have high Radon levels

 

Researchers at Evict Radon have been gathering data about the radon levels in Canadian homes. During their research they have found that 50% or more of Regina Home have unsafe radon levels that are above the national recommended radon level.

Regina homes have some of the highest radon levels because of the composition of our soil combined with long, cold winters. Regina soil is rich in uranium, which is how radon is created. Uranium, deep beneath Regina homes, decays and eventually forms Radon, which is an inert gas, capable of moving throughout the soil. When the radon makes it way up through the soil and encounters your homes foundation, your home pulls in the radon through a process called ‘stack effect’.

Stack effect is the rising of warm air within your home, creating a pressure difference between the air in your home and the radon filled air below your basement floor, pulling the radon into your home. When the outside temperatures are coldest and inside air is warmest is when the stack effect is greatest. Stack effect combined with Regina wind, can create situations for high radon levels.

Radon gas moves through the soil making it’s way towards the surface of the earth where it mixes with the atmosphere and dilutes (even outside air has radon in it, and you can measure it!). This is a natural process that happens all over the earth.

Regina homes have high radon levels because of two main reasons:
– The soil under Regina homes has high levels of uranium
– The heating season in Regina is long with extreme cold

Especially during winter, Regina homes pull the air from the soil around the foundation. If that air has high amounts of Radon, then that radon will enter your home where it can become concentrated to unsafe levels.

Every home should complete a long term radon test so that you can know how much radon is in your home. Regina homes especially should be tested to know the amount of radon in your home, as the prevalence of radon is so great.

If you are buying a home in the Regina area you can get a radon test and report for a real estate transaction.

If you find that your home has a high level of radon and you want to reduce that level you can have a radon mitigation system installed into your home. Every home can have their radon levels reduced.