Got radon? This Louisa business can help
Joseph Haney Apr 21, 2022 Originally published in The Central Virginian newspaper on April 21, 2022
It’s a potential problem that homeowners don’t usually think about. But for Teri and Robert Kulakowski, radon gas is a really big deal.
The Kulakowskis started their Pro Radon Testing business last year when they moved to Virginia from Connecticut. They say their clientele is slowly growing, largely through word of mouth.
“People who get their homes tested [for radon] are apt to mention it to their friends ... but otherwise, if you don’t know, you don’t know,” Teri said. “There’s nothing pointing you toward it.”
“The best way to learn about it is to hear about it,” Robert added.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that results from the decay of uranium, which is found in certain types of soil and bedrock. The gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless, and is normally found in low concentrations in outdoor air. It can become a problem is if it gets trapped indoors and builds up, exposing people to potentially lethal levels.
Radon can enter homes through a variety of avenues, from the exposed dirt in a crawl space to openings in the foundation, such as drains, cracks or joints. Once inside it can build up over time. Radon has a half-life of 3.8 days, meaning it begins to break down after that time, but if it has nowhere to go it can build up in the home and lead to prolonged exposure.
Since the gas has no odor, taste or color, and is not known to cause any immediate physical symptoms or reactions, the only way to know how much radon is in the home is to test for it. That’s where the Kulakowskis come in.
Robert and Teri began testing homes for radon in 2004 as one of many services they offered through the home inspection business they ran in Connecticut. They moved to Louisa County in 2020 and started focusing on radon testing.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, and it’s the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year are attributed to radon gas exposure.
normally found in low con- centrations in outdoor air. It can become a problem if it gets trapped indoors and builds up, exposing people to potentially lethal levels.
Radon can enter homes through a variety of avenues, from the exposed dirt in a crawl space to openings in the foundation, such as drains, cracks or joints. Once inside it can build up over time. Radon has a half-life of 3.8 days, meaning it begins to break down after that time, but if it has nowhere to go it can build up in the home and lead to prolonged exposure.
Since the gas has no odor, taste or color, and is not known to cause any immediate physical symptoms or reactions, the only way to know how much radon is in the home is to test for it. That’s where the Kulakowskis come in.
Robert and Teri began testing homes for radon in 2004 as one of many services they offered through the home inspection business they ran in Connecticut. They moved to Louisa County in 2020 and started focusing on radon testing.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, and it’s the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year are attributed to radon gas exposure.
Robert and Teri began testing homes for radon in 2004 as one of many services they offered through the home inspection business they ran in Connecticut. They moved to Louisa County in 2020 and started focusing on radon testing.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, and it’s the leading cause of lung cancer among non- smokers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year are attributed to radon gas exposure.
https://www.thecentralvirginian.com/living/got-radon-this-louisa-business-can-help/article_d7a20b66-c0ce-11ec-bc56-3b9e1904282e.html
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