Throughout Wyoming and the northern Mountain region, uranium is an active resource that has been mined and distributed for decades. With local uranium reserves estimated to be near 106 million pounds, it’s easy to see what a lucrative business it is for our state. However, it’s also important to understand the effects of uranium and the toxic, invisible gas it produces: radon. 

Routine radon testing and a reliable radon mitigation system are the best way to safeguard against the dangers of radon gas. If hazardous radon levels are ignored, you risk lung damage through continued exposure. 

Here at Gateway Construction, we take your safety seriously! This is why we now include passive radon mitigation systems in every home we build. A passive system works to reduce radon levels by providing natural ventilation of the space under your foundation. Should an active system be needed, conversion from passive to active is simple, so you can be safe and sound in your beautiful Cheyenne home. 

Radon & Wyoming

Leading the nation in uranium production, with 665,000 pounds produced in 2018, Wyoming’s nuclear reserves have always been a large economic contributor. Unfortunately, as radioactive uranium decays into radium, it eventually becomes the dangerous gas known as radon. 

Radon gas moves up from reserves deep below the surface through the permeated ground, seeping into houses by way of holes and cracks. This odorless, colorless invisible gas is a silent killer that causes lung damage and cancer if you’re continually exposed. In Wyoming, the leading cause of cancer-related death is lung cancer stemming from radon gas.  

Most of Wyoming’s counties are designated as having high potential for elevated radon levels. It’s important to test your home, especially when it’s new, to ensure it is properly sealed. This is the case whether you’re designated Zone 1 or Zone 2.

Prevent & Protect Against Radon

If you suspect that your home may be exposed to radon, contact the Wyoming Department of Health or go to sosradon.org for radon testing information. Since radon is a colorless, odorless gas, it’s important to test as a safeguard. 

There are two types of radon testing kits to use: passive and active. Passive testing kits don’t need power to function, making them a more affordable option. Active kits test frequently through sensors, providing more continuous readings but at a more expensive cost.

Both kits are effective and will provide you with an accurate reading of the radon levels in your home. If your radon levels are 4 pCi/L or higher, you will require a radon mitigation system. 

Radon mitigation systems help your home reach safer levels to prevent exposure and lung damage. Similar to testing kits, mitigation systems can be both passive and active depending on what works best for your home and budget.

Risks Without Radon Mitigation

When dealing with hazardous radon levels in your current home, you’ll most likely need to start by finding a contractor. Like any other home repair or maintenance, the overall cost depends mostly on the size of your home. On average, a contractor will charge around $1200 to lower radon levels.

These prices are expensive but important as you shouldn’t cut corners when it comes to mitigating radon. Before deciding on a contractor, make sure you take more than just the cost into consideration. Ensuring they’re trained and certified is key to successfully lowering your radon levels. 

If radon mitigation systems are improperly installed or ignored altogether, your risk of lung cancer will continue to increase. Since radon-related lung cancer is such a high cause of death in Wyoming, it’s crucial that you take radon mitigation seriously. 

Unfortunately, many home builders and contractors don’t include radon mitigation systems when selling homes in Cheyenne. Here at Gateway, we provide every home we build with a passive radon mitigation system that can be easily made active if needed.

Gateway Homes Include Radon Mitigation Systems

Not only can radon mitigation systems be costly, but many builders also don’t even include them for you! Gateway prioritizes client safety, both to keep you safe and help you save on a costly mitigation system. By including radon mitigation systems in all of our homes we take the worry of radon off your shoulders. 

Our business is more than our profession, it’s our passion. With every house we build, we want our customers to feel at ease when they walk through the door. Ensuring that your new home is safe before you even move in allows you to relax right away.

Contact us today if you’re ready to build more than just a home with a company that cares for you. Gateway is helping people all over Cheyenne build their future one board at a time, and we’re ready to help you too!