What Is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, colourless, odourless radioactive gas released as uranium breaks down in soil and rock. It's present in some concentration in virtually every building in Canada. Outdoors it disperses harmlessly, but it can accumulate to concerning levels indoors, particularly in basements and lower levels with limited ventilation.
Why It's a Concern
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in Canada, and the second leading cause overall after smoking, according to Health Canada. Long-term exposure is the concern — short-term exposure doesn't pose a significant risk. The Government of Canada's guideline is 200 Bq/m³, above which remedial action is recommended within two years, or within one year if levels exceed 600 Bq/m³.
Understanding Bq/m³
Radon is measured in Bq/m³, which means becquerels per cubic metre. One becquerel equals one radioactive decay per second, so a reading of 200 Bq/m³ reflects 200 radioactive decays happening every second in each cubic metre of air. This is the unit used in Health Canada’s guideline for determining when mitigation is recommended.
Radon Risk in Our Service Area
Radon potential varies significantly by geology across BC. Generally, the Interior and Northern regions of the province see higher concentrations than the coastal Lower Mainland. That said, regional averages don't guarantee an individual home is low-risk — research from the BC Centre for Disease Control has identified local hot spots even within the broader lower-risk coastal region, including areas of the eastern Fraser Valley. Nationally, an estimated 1 in 5 homes test above the guideline.
How to Know Your Level
Testing is the only way to know a specific home's radon level — visual inspection cannot detect it, and levels vary significantly even between similar homes on the same street. Health Canada recommends a long-term test of at least three months, ideally during the fall and winter, placed in the lowest lived-in level of the home.
What this means for you
Because radon can't be seen, smelled, or assessed visually, we recommend testing regardless of a property's general region. Health Canada’s most accurate method is a long‑term test of at least three months, ideally during fall and winter. For this reason, Ridgeview does not offer short‑term radon testing (a private enviromental company can be contracted to do so, limitations should be verified with them) — the typical 5–7 day subject period in standard contracts is not long enough to produce reliable results. If elevated levels are found through proper long‑term testing, mitigation — typically a sub‑slab depressurization system — is a well‑established and generally affordable fix.