What Is Radon — and Why St. Albert Homeowners Should Test

You can't see it, smell it, or taste it. But it's worth knowing about. Here's the calm version.

What Radon Actually Is

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. It forms as uranium in the soil and bedrock slowly breaks down — a process happening underground everywhere, all the time. Outdoors it disperses into the air and is harmless. The problem starts when it seeps into a house and has nowhere to go.

Radon gets into homes through the points where the building meets the ground: cracks in the foundation slab, gaps around plumbing and service pipes, sump pits, and unfinished crawl spaces. Once inside, it can build up to levels that aren't great to breathe over the long term. Because it's invisible and odourless, the only way to know if you have a problem is to test.

Why This Matters in St. Albert and Alberta

I don't say this to scare anyone — but it's worth being straight about. Health Canada identifies radon as the leading cause of lung cancer in people who have never smoked, and the second leading cause overall after smoking. The risk comes from long-term exposure, not a single afternoon in the basement.

Alberta tends to see higher radon readings than much of the country, and there are a few reasons for that:

• Geology. Our soils and bedrock carry uranium, which means more radon is generated underground to begin with.
• Cold-climate construction. We seal our homes up tight to keep the heat in through long winters. Tight, energy-efficient homes hold radon in along with the warmth.
• How we live. We spend a lot of the year indoors with windows closed, which gives radon more time to accumulate.

None of this is unique to one neighbourhood. Radon levels can differ dramatically between two houses on the same street, so your neighbour's result tells you very little about your own home. The only reliable answer comes from testing your house specifically.

How Testing Works

Testing is genuinely easy and inexpensive, which is the good news. You have two routes:

• Do it yourself. Long-term radon test kits are sold at hardware stores and online for a modest cost. You place the kit in the lowest lived-in level of the home and leave it.
• Hire a professional. A measurement professional certified under the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP) can run the test and interpret the results.

Health Canada recommends a long-term test of at least three months, ideally over the fall and winter when homes are sealed up and readings reflect real-world conditions. Short-term tests exist and can be useful during a tight real estate timeline, but a long-term test gives you the most accurate picture. Results are measured in becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m³), and Canada's guideline is 200 Bq/m³ — the level at which Health Canada recommends taking action.

If Your Levels Are High

Here's the reassuring part: radon is very fixable. The standard solution is a system called sub-slab depressurization — a contractor installs a pipe and a quiet fan that draws radon from beneath the foundation and vents it safely above the roofline before it can enter the living space. Sealing foundation cracks and openings helps too, but on its own it's usually not enough.

A properly installed mitigation system typically brings levels down substantially, often well below the guideline. Look for a contractor certified through the C-NRPP for this work. As with any home system, it's worth getting a quote on your actual house rather than relying on a ballpark figure.

Radon and a Real Estate Transaction

Radon doesn't come up in every deal, but it's becoming a more common topic — especially with buyers who've done their homework. A few practical notes from the field:

• Buyers: If radon matters to you, raise it during your condition period. A short-term test can fit a typical financing-and-inspection window, and you can plan a longer-term test after possession.
• Sellers: If you've already tested and mitigated, keep the documentation. A recent test result and a mitigation system are a quiet confidence-builder for a cautious buyer.
• Everyone: A high reading is not a reason to abandon a good home. It's a known, solvable issue with a predictable fix and cost.

The Bottom Line

Radon is one of those things that sounds alarming until you understand it. It's common, it's testable for very little money, and it's fixable when needed. If you own a home in St. Albert and have never tested, putting a long-term kit in the basement this fall is one of the simplest, cheapest things you can do for your household's peace of mind.

This is general information, not medical advice. For health questions, talk to your doctor, and for testing or mitigation specifics, consult a C-NRPP-certified professional or Health Canada's radon resources.

Questions about a specific home? Just call John — 780-937-7534.