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.