What is Radon? How is it harmful for Winston-Salem homes?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released in rock, soil, and water that can enter any home.

It’s been found at high levels in every state and is the number one cause of lung cancer among people who do not smoke.

It can be found in million-dollar homes as easily as $100,000 homes. It can be found in homes with a slab foundation, crawl space, or basement - it’s not limited to any particular type.

Radon is harmful when breathed in over a long period of time. You won’t get it by walking through a home once. It has to be above a certain level to be considered harmful.

The EPA considers a level of 4 pCi/L or greater the level at which mitigation is needed, respectively.

A home buyer should have radon levels tested during an inspection, and if excess levels are detected, the seller should be requested to install a remediation system to bring the radon back to normal levels.

The system should be maintained and monitored as directed by the installer and the presence of this system would be a material fact to disclose to prospective buyers.