As a Maryland homeowner, you probably have a checklist of tasks to keep your home safe. But there is one potential hazard that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is a significant concern across the state. Understanding the risks associated with this gas is important to maintaining a healthy home for your family.
The only way to know if your home has elevated radon levels is to have a professional test your indoor air. This guide explains what radon is, where it comes from, and why testing is so important for protecting your household’s health.
What Is Radon & Why Is It a Concern?
Radon is a radioactive gas released from the natural decay of uranium found in rocks and soil. When this gas is released outdoors, it disperses harmlessly. However, when it seeps into a home, it can become trapped and present health concerns.
Long-term radon exposure is a serious health risk and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the United States. Because you can’t detect it with your senses, many homeowners are unaware of their potential radon exposure until a test is performed. Understanding the risks is an important step toward ensuring better indoor air quality in your home.
Where Does Radon Come From in Maryland?
Much of Maryland, particularly the regions in the Piedmont and Appalachian Plateaus, has underlying rock formations that contain granite and other materials with higher uranium content. This means many homes in our state are built on land that naturally produces more radon gas.
It is important to understand that what causes radon in homes is a natural process. Its presence does not mean your property is contaminated or that there is anything wrong with your land. It simply means that you may have to take extra steps to keep your family safe.
How Radon Enters Maryland Homes
A home can act like a vacuum, drawing gases up from the soil beneath it. This happens because the air pressure inside your home is often slightly lower than the pressure below your house. This pressure difference, sometimes called the stack effect, can pull radon gas inward through gaps or cracks in your foundation.
Common entry points for radon in homes include:
- Cracks in concrete slabs and foundation walls
- Gaps around utility pipes and wires
- Unsealed sump pump pits
- Construction joints where the floor and walls meet
- Exposed soil in a crawl space or basement
These openings in the lower levels of your home, such as your basement or crawl space, are the most common pathways for radon to enter. While proper insulation and air sealing in these areas are good for energy efficiency, they are not designed to be radon mitigation solutions.
Factors That Influence Indoor Radon Levels
Several factors can affect the concentration of radon in Maryland homes. The amount of uranium in the soil, vulnerabilities in your basement, and your home’s ventilation all play a role. Even weather conditions can cause short-term fluctuations in indoor radon levels, with changes in barometric pressure influencing how much gas is drawn from the soil.
Because of these variables, any home can have an elevated radon level, regardless of its age, foundation type, or quality of construction. Your neighbor’s test results do not predict yours, which is why every home should be tested individually.
Radon Testing: The Only Way to Know Your Risk
Since you can’t see or smell it, radon testing is the only way to determine the concentration inside your home. The EPA recommends taking action at levels of 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
It is a good idea to schedule radon testing in Maryland:
- During a home purchase
- Every two to five years
- After major renovations
- After HVAC system changes
Your Partner for a Healthier Maryland Home
At Complete Home Solutions, we believe in a whole-home approach to comfort, safety, and efficiency. In addition to managing dust, allergens, and humidity, addressing potential radon issues is part of maintaining good indoor air quality in Maryland.
Our home energy audits can help identify air leaks. This information is valuable for improving energy efficiency and can also provide insight into how soil gases might be entering your home’s foundation. From your foundation to the attic, our goal is to help you create a healthier, more comfortable household for your family.
For help improving your Maryland home’s envelope and air quality, contact the experts at Complete Home Solutions today.
