Question 1

What exactly is radon?

Accepted Answer

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, produced when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It's completely invisible — no colour, no smell, no taste — which is exactly why it's dangerous. You can't sense it. You can only test for it.

Question 2

Where does it come from?

Accepted Answer

It comes from the ground itself. New Brunswick's bedrock — especially in the southern part of the province — naturally contains higher levels of uranium than most of the country. As that uranium slowly decays, it releases radon gas, which works its way up through the soil looking for a way out.

Question 3

Why is it in my house, and how did it get there?

Accepted Answer

Your house is the way out. Radon rises from the soil and enters through any point where your foundation touches the ground — cracks in the slab, gaps around pipes, sump pits, even tiny hairline fractures you'd never notice. Once inside, a well-sealed, energy-efficient home (which is most of them, especially in winter) actually traps it rather than letting it escape.

Question 4

How do I know if it's in my house?

Accepted Answer

Here's the honest answer: you can't, not without testing. It won't smell musty, it won't leave a mark, and a new house is no safer than an old one — radon depends on the ground, not the age of the building. Testing is the only real answer, but the good news is it's the easy part.

Question 5

How do I test for radon?

Accepted Answer

A small testing device sits in the lowest lived-in level of your home — usually the basement — for a set period of time. That's it. No drilling, no disruption. At the end of the test period, the results tell you where your home actually stands.

Question 6

What are my options for radon testing?

Accepted Answer

Professional testing — a certified technician sets up and reads the results for you, typically with the fastest turnaround and highest accuracy. Self-testing kits — a DIY device you place yourself and mail in (or read digitally), a solid budget-friendly option if done correctly. Library test kits — many New Brunswick libraries loan out radon test kits for free. A great low-cost way to get a first read on your home.

Question 7

What's the difference between long-term and short-term testing?

Accepted Answer

Short-term tests (a few days to a few weeks) give you a quick snapshot — useful for real estate deadlines, but radon levels shift with the seasons, so it's not the full picture. Long-term tests (three months or more, ideally through the winter) give you a much more accurate average of what you're actually breathing year-round.

Question 8

Are all test kits accurate?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. A basic hardware-store kit can give you a rough idea, but for results you can actually rely on — especially if you're close to the action level — look for a kit or technician certified under C-NRPP, Canada's national radon proficiency program. It's the standard Health Canada itself points to.

Question 9

How do I understand the results of my test?

Accepted Answer

Your results come back as a number measured in Bq/m³ (becquerels per cubic metre) — essentially, how much radioactivity is in the air you're breathing. The number itself matters less than what it means for action, which is where Health Canada's guideline comes in.

Question 10

What does 200 Bq/m³ mean exactly, with regards to my house?

Accepted Answer

That's Health Canada's official action level — the point at which they recommend you actively reduce your radon levels. It's not a hard line between "safe" and "dangerous" (there's really no fully "safe" level of radon), but it's the threshold where the science says the risk clearly outweighs the cost of fixing it.

Question 11

What should my reading be?

Accepted Answer

Lower is always better — there's no level of radon that's considered risk-free. But practically speaking, under 200 Bq/m³ means no urgent action is required. Some homeowners, especially those with young children, choose to act even below that number, closer to the World Health Organization's more conservative guideline of 100 Bq/m³.

Question 12

How often should I retest?

Accepted Answer

Every two years is the general recommendation, or any time you do renovations that touch your foundation or change your home's ventilation. If you've had a mitigation system installed, a follow-up test afterward confirms it's actually doing its job.

Question 13

What are the real health risks?

Accepted Answer

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who've never smoked, and the second leading cause overall, after smoking itself. When you breathe it in, radon breaks down into particles that lodge in lung tissue and continue emitting radiation from the inside — quietly, over years, without symptoms until far too late.

Question 14

Cancer, in various forms

Accepted Answer

Lung cancer is the well-documented, established risk, and it's serious enough on its own to take seriously. The mechanism is radiation damage to lung tissue accumulated over long-term exposure — which is exactly why fixing a high reading sooner rather than later matters.

Question 15

Cognitive issues — now being studied

Accepted Answer

Lung cancer is the well-established risk, but researchers are also studying other effects. A 2024 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, found that children with higher long-term home radon exposure showed more difficulty with emotional regulation compared to children with lower exposure. It's early research — the study was small, and it shows an association rather than proven cause and effect — but it's one more reason not to let a known issue sit unaddressed.

Question 16

What happens if I don't test?

Accepted Answer

Nothing happens — and that's exactly the problem. Radon doesn't announce itself. Homes with dangerous levels look, smell, and feel completely identical to homes with none. The only real consequence of not testing is simply not knowing, for as long as you choose not to.

Question 17

What happens if I can't afford mitigation?

Accepted Answer

First — talk to us anyway. There are financial assistance programs that can help offset the cost (see below), and even a partial or staged approach is better than none. Second, some low-cost interim steps — sealing visible cracks, covering exposed soil in crawl spaces, keeping sump pits airtight — can meaningfully reduce radon entry while you plan for a full system.

Question 18

Is there any financial assistance for mitigation?

Accepted Answer

Yes — though it's worth being precise about where it comes from. New Brunswick doesn't currently have its own provincial radon mitigation grant, but homeowners here can apply to the Canadian Lung Association's national Lungs Matter program, which offers up to $1,500 toward mitigation costs. Eligibility requires either a lung cancer diagnosis or household income under the provincial cap, along with a qualifying long-term radon test and a quote from a C-NRPP certified mitigator. Full details and the application are on the Canadian Lung Association's site.

Question 19

What are my options for fixing a high reading?

Accepted Answer

Sub-slab depressurization (SSD) — the gold-standard system. A fan and pipe network create negative pressure beneath your foundation, pulling radon out before it ever enters your home and venting it safely above the roofline. Crawl space encapsulation — for homes with a crawl space instead of a full basement, sealing the space with a heavy-duty vapour barrier cuts off radon's main entry point.

Question 20

Does a mitigation system change how my house looks, sounds, or feels?

Accepted Answer

Barely. The system is a slim PVC pipe (usually routed through a closet, garage, or exterior wall) and a small fan, quiet enough that most homeowners forget it's running. Energy cost is minimal — comparable to a household lightbulb.

Question 21

I'm building a brand-new home — will radon even be an issue after I move in?

Accepted Answer

Possibly, yes — a new build is not automatically radon-free, since the risk comes from the ground, not the construction. The good news: New Brunswick homes built after 2015 often already include a capped "radon rough-in" pipe installed under the slab during construction, which makes adding a full system much cheaper and easier later if a test comes back high. Worth checking with your builder, or looking for a capped PVC pipe in your basement.

Question 22

I'm buying a house and don't know if it has radon. What then?

Accepted Answer

Get it tested before you close, ideally as part of your inspection. If levels come back high, it's very rarely a deal-breaker — most buyers treat it like any other repair item, negotiating a price adjustment, requesting the seller install a system, or arranging a holdback to cover the cost after moving in.

Question 23

Do I have to disclose radon when selling my home?

Accepted Answer

Radon disclosure rules vary, and this is worth confirming with your realtor or lawyer directly. What we can tell you: if your home has tested high and you've already had it mitigated, that's a genuine selling point, not a liability — it shows the issue was found and properly resolved.

Question 24

I rent my home — can I test, and who's responsible for mitigation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can absolutely test a rental. New Brunswick's Residential Tenancies Act doesn't mention radon by name, but it does require landlords to keep a property in a good state of repair and fit to live in — which is the legal basis a tenant would rely on if a landlord won't act on a high test result. If a landlord and tenant can't resolve it directly, New Brunswick's Tenant and Landlord Relations Office handles tenancy disputes under the Act.

Question 25

What are the costs related to radon mitigation and removal?

Accepted Answer

A typical sub-slab depressurization system in New Brunswick runs between $3,000 and $5,000, depending on your home's size and the complexity of the install. Most systems are installed in less than a day and reduce radon levels by more than 80%.

Question 26

My neighbour's home tested low — do I still need to test mine?

Accepted Answer

Yes. This one surprises people, but radon levels can vary dramatically even between homes right next door to each other. Foundation type, soil conditions, cracks, and construction all play a role — your neighbour's result tells you nothing reliable about your own home.

Question 27

Does a mitigation system need maintenance once it's installed?

Accepted Answer

Very little, but not zero. The fan is the one moving part, and like any fan, it has a lifespan — typically 5 to 10 years — and can fail silently without an alarm or warning sign. A simple manometer (pressure gauge) on the pipe lets you do a quick visual check anytime, and periodic retesting confirms everything's still working as it should.

Technical answers,
no fear-mongering.

The Basics

Testing

Understanding Your Results

The Real Health Risks

Financial Help

Options for Repair

New Construction

Buying, Selling & Renting

Costs

Ongoing Confidence

Technical answers, no fear-mongering.