Top Reasons to Include Radon Testing in Environmental Assessments

The difference between radon and many other indoor contaminants is that radon is invisible, odorless, and tasteless. This is why testing for radon is the only way to know if a home, school, or office building has elevated levels.

Top Reasons to Add Radon Testing to Your Environmental Testing Services

• Differentiate your business. Offering radon testing will position your company as being comprehensive and more proactive in protecting public health.
• Baseline determination. Carbon monoxide and VOC baseline measurements are taken to determine levels before any interventions occur. Radon testing serves the same purpose by providing a baseline so that improvements and mitigation efforts can be tracked.
• Comply with regulations. More states, provinces, and local jurisdictions now require radon testing in schools, childcare centers, multi-family properties, and rental housing.
• Reduce liability exposure. Property managers and employers are becoming more aware of their liability if radon is left untested. Many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have radon disclosure requirements for real estate transactions.
• Upsell to existing clients. If you already test for lead, asbestos, mold, or other VOCs then radon testing is a natural add-on service. Bundling radon testing with existing assessments can increase project revenue.
• Radon testing is economical. When added to a comprehensive indoor air environmental project, radon testing can be relatively inexpensive to perform. The effort is even more efficient when combined with similar testing efforts and the site visits needed on large projects.
• Pathways on vapor intrusion projects. Radon gas movement mimics that of VOCs, which makes it a useful tracer to assess whether vapor intrusion pathways exist.
• Recurring business. Radon levels can fluctuate over time due to weather, renovations, HVAC modifications, or changes in building use. Offering follow-up testing creates recurring revenue streams and builds ongoing client relationships.

Including radon testing in your environmental testing projects can be simple if you keep the following in mind:

• Understand radon testing requirements in the area. Check whether your state, province, or local authorities requires radon certification or licensing and which radon standards are followed. The United States follows the ANSI/AARST standards and Canada refers to Health Canada radon action guide.
• Become certified. In the United States both the NRPP and NRSB offer certifications for radon testing and mitigation. Some states require additional licensing. The C-NRPP offers certifications in Canada.
• Use high quality and certified radon detectors. Reliable detectors provided by an NRPP or C-NRPP certified providers are essential for credibility and accuracy.
• Invest in proper radon instruments. Certified continuous radon monitors that provide real-time hourly measurements and certified reports are essential for quick turnaround real estate transactions or ongoing measurement projects. Other professional radon instruments can provide radon in soil measurements, thoron detection, fixed installation applications, and more.
• Educate your clients. Many people are not aware of the harmful effects of radon. Educating your clients about how radon causes lung cancer will lend credibility to your assessment and position your company as one that provides comprehensive indoor air measurements.

While mold and VOCs can cause immediate irritation and health symptoms, radon poses a long-term health risk. By adding radon testing to environmental or indoor air assessments environmental engineering firms can provide a complete service offering and prevent serious health problems to the public years later.