Radon and Cold Michigan Weather Conditions

Can the cold Michigan winters affect radon levels in your home? The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. The truth is there are many factors that can cause fluctuations in the radon levels in your home. One issue that may cause a rise in radon levels in the colder months is the excessive use of the HVAC system. The furnace can attribute to the naturally occurring stack affect of the home and actually begin to draw more radon and soil gases in causing a spike in radon levels in the winter months. Another factor that may cause spikes in radon levels is barometric pressure. When a winter storm or front moves into an area it can cause pressure changes outside and inside the home. If there is an added pressure from the outside, this can make the stack affect of your home even stronger pulling in a larger amount of radon gas. Strong winds and wind direction can also contribute to these pressure. It is important to have a well balanced HVAC system along with good ventilation to cycle fresh air into your home. Having a slight positive pressure is always a good thing and can help prevent higher radon levels. In most cases yes, there are higher level of radon levels during the winter months. We recommend testing your home for radon gas. If a short-term 48-hour test comes back low, you can complete a long term radon test to get a more accurate reading through the seasons. There are also radon detectors/monitors available online. We recommend the Radon Eye by Ecosense if this is something you are interested in.