VAIS is certified by the National Environmental Health Association-National Radon Proficiency Program (NEHA-NRPP see note below) as a Residential Measurement Provider for Standard and Analytical Services. Radon testing is an unobtrusive process that takes 12 hours for test site stabilization and 48 hours to run. VAIS uses Sun Nuclear constant Radon monitoring (CRM) devices that include anti-tampering sensors and consistently produce very accurate results. The client is provided with a clear and concise printed report at the end of the test.

Radon Is a Cancer-Causing, Radioactive Gas
Radon (Rn222) is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in our environment. It is a product of the natural radioactive decay of uranium (U238) which is found as a trace element in most rocks, soil, and water. All rocks and soils are naturally radioactive, containing various proportions of a variety of radioactive elements. You can't see, smell, or taste Radon, but it may be a problem in your home. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air that contains radon, you can get lung cancer. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

No Early Warning Signs
Illness caused by Radon exposure does not have any early warning symptoms.

Radon Can Be Found All Over The U.S.
Radon can be found all over the U.S. and elevated Radon levels have been found in all 50 states. As it rises from within the earth, Radon gets into the air you breathe. It can get into any type of building including homes, offices, and schools resulting in an increased indoor radon level. You and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.

How Does Radon Get Into The Home?

Radon enters homes most commonly through cracks in foundations, cracks in solid floors, cracks in walls, construction joints, gaps in suspended floors, openings around sump pumps and drains, crawl spaces, cavities inside walls, and in some cases from well water. Radon is usually most concentrated in the lowest level of the home.

You Should Test For Radon
Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. The EPA also recommends testing in schools.

You Can Fix a Radon Problem
Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.

New Homes Can Be Built With Radon-Resistant Features
Radon-resistant construction techniques can be effective in preventing radon entry. When installed properly and completely, these simple and inexpensive techniques can help reduce indoor radon levels in homes. In addition, installing them at the time of construction makes it easier and less expensive to reduce radon levels further if these passive techniques don't reduce radon levels to below 4 PicoCurie per liter (4 pCi/L). Every new home should be tested after occupancy, even if it was built to be radon-resistant.

Education and Certification
The Commonwealth of Virginia requires NEHA-NRPP certification for any individual performing Radon testing, analysis, or mitigation. This requirement does not apply to the homeowner running a test in his or her own home or a builder testing his or her own construction projects).

Individuals holding a certification as a Residential Measurement Provider for Standard and Analytical Services have demonstrated knowledge of U.S. EPA radon measurement protocols for the placement and retrieval of radon measurement devices. They have also demonstrated knowledge of the proper interpretation of results obtained in residential settings. Furthermore, these individuals possess radon measurement devices that may allow rapid test results. The testing professional may also be able to characterize trends in radon concentration and determine unusual conditions arising from such influences as weather changes or occupant tampering of a test. To obtain this additional classification, individuals follow strict quality assurance and quality control guidelines and device specific protocols, and calibrate each instrument annually.

The Evironmental Protection Agency (EPA) closed its proficiency program in October 1998. The EPA offered a one-time acknowledgment to both of the existing non-Federal national radon proficiency programs The National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) and The National Environmental Health Association's (NEHA)-National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP). The NEHA-NRPPand NRSB administer certification for Radon measurement and mitigation.

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