If your recently purchased rental property has a radon problem, you may wonder if it's safe to rent out right away. Radon is a toxic gas that has the potential to cause lung cancer in adults and children. The gas undergoes a unique process that makes it unstable and dangerous over time. If you don't take steps to treat your radon problem now, it may cause legal issues for you later. Here's more information about radon and what you can do to eliminate it in your rental property.

What's Radon?

Radon comes from decaying uranium, a natural substance found in the earth's soil and other structures. The gas lacks color, taste and smell, which makes it extremely difficult to locate without the proper measures. One of the biggest problems with radon is that it can produce harmful, radioactive substances called progeny, or daughters, once it decays. 

Although daughters don't live very long after they form, they can attach to the dust particles and other debris found inside your rental home. Daughters also release radiation into the air during the decay process, which is easily inhaled by anyone within the home. The radioactive substances eventually decay but are replaced by new progeny in an ongoing process. 

Because radon tends to mutate or change how your DNA appears and functions in your body, the gas can create many dangerous and potentially life-threatening health problems. While the symptoms of radon poisoning aren't easily noted or identified, people exposed to the gas can experience problems related to lung cancer, such as wheezing, coughing and labored breathing. If your future tenants become exposed to radiation and develop unexplained lung cancer symptoms, you may be liable for any health injuries they sustain from the exposure.

To protect your investment and future tenants from radon exposure, take steps to eliminate the substance now.

How Do You Get Rid of Radon?

The first thing you might do is contact a radon mitigation company and have them retest your rental property. The new test may reveal how much radon the home's air has in it. Radon levels at or above 4 pCi/L aren't safe to be around and may require immediate action. Mitigation experts may use a number of techniques and systems to reduce the level to 2.0 pCi/L or close to it. 

The techniques may include ventilating the home's crawlspace, basement, walls, and other structures or areas contaminated with radon. The mitigation process may also include sealing cracks and other openings in the home to reduce airborne exposure to radioactive substances. Installing special devices that suck radon from the air may also be an option for your rental property. A mitigation expert will generally discuss the best methods for your rental home when they meet with you.

For more details about radon mitigation, contact an expert today.