3821 Hamburg Pk, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
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FAQ's
Radon issues can affect any home, regardless of its age, size, or foundation type. Whether you live in a brand-new property, an older residence, a well-sealed house, a drafty building, or a home with or without a basement or crawl space, radon levels can still be a concern.
To ensure your home remains safe, it is essential to conduct a radon test every two years. Regular testing helps identify elevated radon levels and protects your health and home. Don’t wait—contact Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services to schedule your radon test and stay proactive about your home’s air quality.
This is a common myth. Radon exposure can occur regardless of your home’s foundation type, whether it features a basement, a crawl space, or is constructed on a slab. Contact Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services to schedule a radon test for your home.
Homes of any age, from newly built properties to historic residences, can have radon issues. Regardless of your home’s age, if radium levels in the soil are high and there are entry points, radon can become a serious problem. To ensure your home’s safety, schedule a radon test every two years.
Simply knowing that a neighboring house has been tested is not enough, as radon levels can vary significantly between properties. The only way to accurately determine if your home has elevated radon levels is to perform a radon test.
At Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services, we utilize a “continuous radon monitor” (CRM) for precise radon detection. Our radon testing process involves placing the CRM in the lowest livable area of your home while keeping all exterior doors and windows closed. This short-term radon test, typically conducted over 48 hours, is the standard method used by professional radon inspectors, especially during real estate transactions.
The U.S. EPA has set the “action level” for radon at 4 pCi/L. If radon levels in your home, school, or workplace reach or exceed this threshold, it is time to take action.
Call Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services to have it remediated the Wright way!
The appropriate radon remediation method depends on factors such as building design, construction materials, and other specific conditions. Typically, radon mitigation involves sealing cracks and openings in the foundation, although the EPA advises against relying solely on sealing to reduce radon levels.
A comprehensive radon reduction system usually includes a plastic pipe installed to connect with the soil, which can be done through a hole in the slab, a sump lid connection, or beneath a plastic sheet in a crawl space.
The system then utilizes a vent and fan setup to continuously extract radon gas from beneath the foundation and expel it outside, effectively lowering radon levels within the building.
A passive radon system is a radon mitigation solution that does not include a radon exhaust fan. Instead, it operates based on the “stack effect,” which leverages air pressure differences to move radon gas through a pipe from the basement to the exhaust vent. Many modern home builders install passive radon pipes during construction. However, it’s important to note that this is not the same as an “active radon system.”
While a passive system helps reduce radon exposure, it may not be sufficient on its own. If radon testing reveals elevated levels, converting the system to an active one by adding a fan is a straightforward and cost-effective solution. Proper installation is crucial for passive systems to be effective, as incorrectly installed systems might not function as intended.
If your radon levels remain high, professional installation of a fan to activate the passive system will be necessary to ensure effective radon reduction.
Costs for radon mitigation can vary based on your home’s size, design, and the specific radon reduction methods required. Typically, radon mitigation services range from $900 to $2,500. If you need to replace a fan in an existing system, expect the cost to be around $400 to $600, including parts and labor.
For a detailed estimate, contact our expert team at Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services. Join the hundreds of thousands of homeowners who have successfully reduced radon levels in their homes.
To ensure that radon levels in your home stay low, it is advisable to conduct a radon test every 2 years. Even if your results are below 4 pCi/L, regular testing is essential to confirm that radon levels remain safe.
Additionally, it’s important to retest your home after major renovations or if your living conditions change, such as when you start using a lower level like a basement more frequently. This helps ensure that radon levels continue to be within safe limits.
Like a furnace or chimney, radon reduction systems require periodic maintenance to ensure they function properly. Regularly check the warning device to confirm that the system is operating as intended. While radon fans typically last five years or more, manufacturer warranties usually do not exceed five years, so be prepared for potential repairs or replacements after this period.
Additionally, it’s wise to retest your home at least every two years to ensure radon levels remain low and the system continues to protect your home effectively.
Radon has been classified as a known human carcinogen by leading organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the EPA. This classification is based on extensive biological and epidemiological evidence linking radon exposure to lung cancer.
Radon gas can damage lung cells, increasing the risk of cancer. In the United States, radon is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year, with the disease often taking 5 to 25 years to develop. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, with radon being the second most significant risk factor. Notably, about 10 percent of radon-related lung cancer deaths occur in non-smokers, while smokers exposed to high radon levels face an even greater risk.
Reducing radon levels to below 4 pCi/L could potentially decrease lung cancer deaths by 2 to 4%. To protect your health, contact Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services today to schedule your radon test.
Air Quality Testing FAQ’s
Indoor air quality (also called “indoor environmental quality”) describes how inside air can affect a person’s health, comfort, and ability to work. It can include temperature, humidity, lack of outside air (poor ventilation), mold from water damage, or exposure to other chemicals.
Mold FAQ’s
Mold is a type of fungus. These small organisms can be black, white, orange, green, or purple and live almost anywhere indoors and outside. Molds thrive on moisture and reproduce through lightweight spores that travel through the air.
You’re exposed to mold every day. They’re usually harmless in small amounts. In some cases, mold in your home can make you sick, especially if you have allergies or asthma.
Whether or not you’re allergic to molds, mold exposure and poor indoor air quality can irritate your eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs. When mold is growing on a surface, spores can be released into the air where they can be easily inhaled. If you’re sensitive to mold and inhale a large number of spores, you could experience health problems.
Mold enters your home as tiny spores. The spores need moisture to begin growing, digesting and destroying. Molds can grow on almost any surface, such as wood, ceiling tiles, wallpaper, paints, carpet, sheet rock, and insulation. The mold grows best when there is lots of moisture from a leaky roof, high humidity, or flood. There is no way to get rid of all molds and mold spores from your home. But you can control mold growth by keeping your home dry. Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services can help create a plan to improve your indoor air quality.
If you’re concerned that the air in your home is compromised by mold, you can find some peace of mind knowing that Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services knows exactly how to test for mold. We use state of the art technology to collect samples in strategic locations that are then sent off to an accredited laboratory for evaluation. The results will be reported and delivered typically in 3-5 days.
– All interior walls with Moisture Meter and/or Thermal Imaging Camera to identify areas more likely to have hidden mold.
– All closets, under sinks, under stairs, around windows/doors, or any areas where water is present. (Bathrooms, Utility Rooms, Kitchens, ETC)
After the full visual inspection of the property, a testing plan is suggested to the client. Our inspectors will suggest any sample that could be beneficial to you the client. It is then your decision to decide what is most important to your situation and what you would like collected and submitted for analysis. It is not uncommon for more samples to be suggested after inspection of the property.
While there are thousands of species of mold in existence, most homeowners are concerned about Stachybotrys chartarum, commonly known as “toxic mold” or “black mold.” This species of mold is actually quite rare, but it’s one of a number of molds that produces a high level of mycotoxins (dangerous mold-based chemicals) that can create a hazardous home environment. That said, any species of mold can become a health risk if it’s allowed to grow out of control. Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services can help identify mold before it gets out of hand.
Yes you can. Dry out the house and fix any moisture problems in your home:
• Stop water leaks, repair leaky roofs and plumbing. Keep water away from concrete slabs and basement walls.
• Open windows and doors to increase air flow in your home, especially along the inside of exterior walls. Use a fan if there are no windows available.
• Make sure that warm air flows into all areas of the home. Move large objects a few inches away from the inside of exterior
walls to increase air circulation.
• Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
• Ventilate and insulate attic and crawl spaces. Use heavy plastic to cover earth floors in crawl spaces.
• Clean and dry water damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, and upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider removing and replacing damaged furnishings.
• Vacuum and clean your home regularly to remove mold spores.
• Check around your windows for signs of condensation and water droplets. Wipe them up right away so mold can’t start to grow.
Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services can help you create a plan to control the mold growth in your home.
Lead Based Paint FAQ’s
Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead-based paint is present in many homes built before 1978.
The federal government banned the use of lead-based paint in housing in 1978. To learn more about lead, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead.
Many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. In general, the older your home, the more likely it has lead-based paint. Household dust can pick up lead from deteriorating lead-based paint or from past renovation projects.
Lead is known to cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk from exposure lead-based paint because they crawl on the floor and they put their hands and other items which can have lead-based paint dust on them into their mouths. Because their bodies are still growing, children tend to absorb more lead than adults.
Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have some lead-based paint. Lead from paint chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly. Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renting or buying pre-1978 housing. Sellers and landlords must:
• Disclose information on known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in the housing being sold or rented;
• Provide buyers and renters with any available records or reports pertaining to lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the housing; and
• Provide buyers and renters with a copy of the pamphlet entitled “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.”
In addition, sellers must give potential buyers an opportunity to check the home for lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards. To learn more about the lead disclosure rule for real estate, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead/real-estate-disclosures-about-potential-lead-hazards.
The older your home, the more likely it contains lead-based paint. For example, 87% of homes built before 1940 have some lead-based paint, while 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1978 have some lead-based paint. Lead-based paint may be present in private single-family homes or apartments, government-assisted, or public housing, and in urban, suburban, or rural settings. If you want to know whether or not your home contains lead-based paint, EPA recommends one of the following:
• Assume your home contains lead-based paint and take the appropriate precautions. In pre-1978 homes and buildings, this is the simplest and safest approach.
• Hire a certified professional from Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services to test for lead-based paint.
To test for lead-based paint in your home, EPA recommends that you hire a certified inspector or risk assessor. Breathe Wright Radon and Air Quality Services is certified for lead-based paint testing.
We will conduct an inspection to determine whether your home or a portion of your home has lead-based paint and where it is located. This will tell you the areas in your home where lead-safe work practices should be used for renovation, repair, or painting jobs.
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