Radon is a very real issue for homeowners to keep in mind both when first purchasing a home and maintaining one over the years. There are a few different issues that can affect the overall radon levels in your home and weather and weathering is one. There are two distinct types of weather that can affect the levels of radon in your home and the first has to do directly with the heating and cooling systems in your home.

Cold Weather

The first type of weather that affects radon levels is, of course, cold weather. The colder it is the more likely you are to turn on the heater and therefore turn on your furnace. Now when a home has radon gas, using your furnace can encourage something called the stacking effect. This means that when the home heats, the hot air is pushed up and out and the cold air in the foundation is drawn up. When the air is drawn up from the foundations, it is far more likely that radon gasses will be pulled up from the foundation space along with the cold air. This means that when it gets cold, your radon levels in your home are far more likely to be higher and should be monitored closely.

Wind, Rain, Morning, and Night

The next few issues are things that you cannot yourself control making them even more important to pay attention to. Wind can also cause the stack effect causing radon levels to rise. Wind can increase the outward pressure on the house making radon gasses rise and become dangerous. Another issue to contend with is rain. This can also cause the stack effect and can cause radon gasses to rise up from the saturated soil causing them to be drawn into the home. The last thing to consider is of course time of day. During the day, radon levels are likely to be lower than late at night. With any of these issues, if you feel that your home has radon gasses that can be potentially dangerous, it is important to watch closely and monitor levels to keep you and your family safe. Take the time to have your home routinely checked for radon levels.