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Radon Gas

There are cracks in the foundation. Nothing structural. Nothing thats going to threaten the stability of the home, but theyre there. Nooks, crannies and holes through which seeps an invisible threat. Colorless, odorless and undetectable by your average human, it is none the less the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

Radon gas - is created when uranium in the soil decays. The gas then seeps through any access point into a home. Common entry points are cracks in the foundation, poorly sealed pipes, drainage or any other loose point. The Environmental Protection Agency of the US Government has set a threshold of 4 pico curies per liter as the safe level. As humans are exposed to the gas over a period of years, it can have a significant and detrimental effect.

How widespread is the problem? Radon has been found in homes in all 50 states. Certain areas are more susceptible than others

About Radon Levels
in El Paso County

The average national indoor radon level is 1.3 pCi/L. (What is a picocurie?)
The average indoor radon levels of El Paso County, as determined by radon test results from Air Chek, Inc, is 7.7 pCi/L

Results under 2 pCi/L    Results between 2 and 3.9 pCi/L    Results 4 pCi/L and above

Unfortunately, the rock type and structure in the Pikes Peak region make it one of the most vulnerable places in the country to radon gas impacts. Because radon gas in Colorado Springs is a dangerous, yet preventable hazard, the people of Colorado Springs must be aware of the extent of the risk and procedures to mitigate it.

Radon gas problems are amenable to prevention. In fact, most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs, such as painting or having a new hot water heater installed. (Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon" 

Testing for radon comes in two forms: active and passive. Active devises constantly measure the levels of radon in a portion of the home and display those results. Nationwide Property Services uses Sun Nuclear #1028 Continuous Radon Monitors in the active catagory.

	Continuous Radon Monitor #1028 This most popular, easy to use continuous radon monitor is a favorite with home inspectors. Microcomputer based technology displays the long term and the short term average radon gas concentration in Piccocuries/Liter (pCi/l) on three digit LED display. The values are measured and logged to memory at user selected intervals of 1, 4, 8 and 24 hours.

Passive devices collect samples over a period of time and then are taken away and analyzed. When circumstances call for them, Nationwide Property Services uses a pair of Passive Charcoal canisters and has them processed at the Radon Measurements Lab in Colorado Springs. Either method can help you determine your level of risk. Do-it-yourself kits are available from a number of outlets, normally with passive devices. Over a period of days, the device is left in the lowest level of the home which is normally occupied. This eliminates crawl spaces under the house, but includes finished or unfinished basements. Then the results are analyzed by a professional. In a Real Estate transaction, the disadvantage of the do it yourself approach is usually the delay in getting readings.

For more information, visit the EPA web site on radon at http://www.epa.gov/radon or call us at 719 495 2652.