Thanks to the generosity of the BC Lung Foundation, the Library has radon detector kits you can borrow to measure radon levels in your home. This is considered short-term testing, and the Foundation recommends re-testing every five years, or after a major renovation. The Foundation also recommends purchasing a long term test kit if high levels of radon are detected.
Request the Radon Detector Kit (Available to borrow October through March).
Note: In the summer months, people tend to leave windows and doors in their homes open, allowing radon to safely dissipate into the atmosphere. As a result, Radon Screening Kits will not be available to borrow between April 1 and September 30 each year, as radon readings are less accurate during the summer.
Radon is an odorless, radioactive gas that occurs when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. Radon can enter any building through the ground and circulate from the basement/lower levels throughout the building.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada, and the leading cause for non-smokers. It is estimated that radon is responsible for 16% of all lung cancer-related deaths in Canada.
It is thought that homes in British Columbia can have higher levels of radon than elsewhere in Canada.
Download the Radon Screening Booklet [PDF] to read instructions for the detector (also included in the kit) and more information about radon.
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