Glossary · Health & indoor air
Health region (radon survey area)
Also called: Health Service Delivery Area · HSDA
The public health area a radon survey reports by, such as a BC Health Service Delivery Area; results describe a region, not your home.
What it means
Health Canada's 2009–2011 cross-Canada survey placed three-month radon tests in about 14,000 homes across all 121 health regions, which are areas served by a hospital board or regional health authority and defined by each province. The share of homes above the guideline varied widely: it was 23%–44% in 14 regions. Because each region's figure comes from about 100 homes or fewer, a low regional figure doesn't mean your home is low.
Why it matters in an audit
Regional radon numbers show how common high levels are near you, but only a test of your own home tells you your level.
Typical numbers
Reference values with their sources. Your energy advisor’s report gives the figure for your own house.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health Canada cross-Canada survey (final report, 2012) | 13,807 valid long-term results from 121 health regions; 6.9% of Canadians lived in homes above 200 Bq/m³ | publications.gc.ca ↗ |
| Example (BC) | Fraser East Health Service Delivery Area: 3.0% of 100 homes tested were above 200 Bq/m³ | publications.gc.ca ↗ |