Radon Information from Health Canada

TARION New Home Warranty

Each year over 3,000 Canadians die from radon related lung cancer. Besides smoking, it is the second leading cause for this type of cancer.

 

What is RADON

 

Radon is a radioactive gas that can seep into your home. It is found naturally in the soil when the uranium in soil and rock breaks down. Radon can seep into your home through cracks in the foundation, pipe openings or crawlspaces. Every home - even yours - has radon gas. It is invisible, it has no smell and it's tasteless, but it is present in all homes, new or old. In enclosed spaces radon can accumulate to high levels, which can be a risk to the health of you and your family. This makes it extremely important to test your home’s radon levels to ensure you and your family are safe.

 

TARION covers new homes against Radon for up to 7 years

 

If you live in a home covered by the Tarion New Home Warranty, you will have a guaranteed protection against unsafe Radon levels for up to 7 years! Simply have your home tested by a certified measurement professional and, in case of unsafe Radon results, we will help you submit a claim to Tarion. They will pay for the mitigation system and also refund you the initial testing costs.

 

KNOW your Radon levels

 

TESTING is the only way to know if radon levels in your home are safe. It is estimated that 8.2% of Canadian homes have unsafe Radon levels. Best time to test is between November and April. If your test shows you have high radon levels, we will advise you on mitigation solutions to keep your family safe.

 

Here’s what you should do

 

1. Have your home properly tested by a certified measurement professional like INSPECTION HAUS. We are certified by the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP), the only certification program accepted by Health Canada for radon measurements.

 

2. We will perform a walk-through inspection of your home to find the best measurement location for testing. A small test device will be setup and stay at the agreed location for the test duration. The most reliable testing is a long term test of at least 91 days. But short term testing is also common, for instance during home transactions. A short term test usually lasts between 4 - 10 days.

 

3. Once the test is complete we will have the test device analyzed by a certified lab and prepare a test report for you including a thorough explanation of the results as well as recommendations if any further actions are required. After completing the testing we will be available for you to answer any questions about the test report and provide suggestions on how you can stay safe.