3 Reasons Every Regina Homeowner Needs a Radon Test
Most Regina homeowners have heard of radon. Fewer have actually tested for it. Here's why that needs to change.
1. Regina Has Some of the Highest Radon Levels on the Planet
This isn't a scare tactic. It's backed by research.
Evict Radon, a national study out of the University of Calgary, tested over 500 homes in the Regina area and found that 1 in 2 Regina homes exceeded Health Canada's guideline of 200 Bq/m³. The lead researcher called Regina "the most radon-exposed population on this planet."
Nationally, about 7% of homes test above the guideline. In Saskatchewan that number jumps to 16%. In the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, testing has found rates as high as 26%.
The reason comes down to geology. Saskatchewan sits on uranium-rich soil. When that uranium breaks down naturally, it releases radon gas, and that gas works its way up through the ground and into your home through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, floor drains, and sump pits. Regina's cold winters mean homes stay sealed tight for months, which makes it even easier for radon to build up to dangerous levels.
Your neighbour's house could test fine. Yours could be three times the guideline. There's no way to know without testing and that's exactly the point.
2. Radon Is the Number One Cause of Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers
According to Health Canada, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in Canada, and accounts for more than 3,000 lung cancer deaths every year across the country.
You can't see it. You can't smell it. You can't taste it. It produces zero symptoms until the damage is already done and lung cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer.
Here's how it works: when radon gas is inhaled, it breaks down into radioactive particles in your lungs. Those particles release small bursts of energy that damage lung tissue over time. Long-term exposure is where the risk compounds.
Health Canada estimates that a non-smoker exposed to elevated radon over a lifetime has a 1 in 20 chance of developing lung cancer. If you're also a smoker, that risk jumps to 1 in 3.
The people most at risk are the ones spending the most time in the lowest level of the home kids playing in the basement, someone who works from home, anyone sleeping in a basement bedroom. The more time spent indoors at lower levels, the higher the cumulative exposure.
3. Testing Is Easy and Fixing It Is Straightforward
A lot of homeowners put off radon testing because they assume it's complicated, expensive, or that finding a problem means a massive renovation. None of that is true.
Testing is simple. A long-term radon detector gets placed in the lowest lived-in level of your home for a minimum of three months, ideally during fall or winter when your house is sealed up. That's it. You get a number back in Bq/m³ and you know exactly where you stand.
If your levels are high, there's a proven fix. Sub-slab depressurization, a radon mitigation system, involves running a pipe from beneath your foundation slab to the exterior of your home, with a continuously running fan that pulls radon out before it can enter your living space. It's not invasive, it doesn't require tearing up your basement, and it works. Most systems bring radon levels down by 80–99%.
Health Canada recommends acting fast if levels are high. If your test comes back above 200 Bq/m³, the recommendation is to mitigate within one year. If levels are significantly above the guideline, sooner.
Regina has a radon problem. But it's a solvable one.
Get Tested
Begone Radon is a Regina-based, certified radon testing and mitigation company. We test homes, interpret results, and install mitigation systems when levels are high.
If you're getting a mitigation system installed and need the electrical side handled, we work with Flow Electric, a local licensed electrical contractor who handles the fan circuit installation — wired properly off a bedroom lighting circuit so you have built-in passive monitoring.
Ready to find out what's in your home? Get in touch with Begone Radon today.
Sources: Health Canada — About Radon; Health Canada Radon Reduction Guide for Canadians; Evict Radon National Study; Take Action on Radon — Saskatchewan
