IEA_Radon_Reporter_January_2024r

16 | January 2024 CERTIFICATION NRPP Certified Professional Spotlight NRPP certification plays a vital role in the health of our communities as well as in the success of our radon professionals. But don’t take our word for it! Let’s hear from an NRPP-certified professional to learn about their own experience with certification. Name: Glenn Steers Location (city & state): Raleigh, North Carolina (Triangle area) Title, Company: Director of Wake Home Services, LLC (https://wakehomeservices.com/) What certification do you have? Radon Measurement Professional How long have you been working in radon? Almost 6 years Describe your professional experience and how you got into radon mitigation/ measurement. I started my company, Wake Radon, as a one man show in 2018 with five Sun Radon 1030 devices. We quickly grew to 60 CRMs, one office staff member and four field technicians doing almost 100 tests per week. Two years ago, we had an opportunity to buy the #1 company in the area, Raleigh Radon, and we did! We now have three office professionals; an Operations Manager (my wife) and each radon company (Wake Radon & Raleigh Radon) has their own office managers (we kept them separate for marketing reasons). We currently have 133 Sun Radon 1030 monitors, seven field technicians and we are performing 35-40 radon tests on average a day. Describe what a typical workday looks like. I have oversight on all the operations and usually join my other certified technicians in the field on a daily basis to place and pick up radon tests. I also do the ancillary services, like radon water tests, IAQ tests and mold air & swab sampling. In the evening, I review and send high test results and put the final touches on the next day’s schedule. I perform Quality Control duties as well. Usually once or twice a month, we test a large multi-family development and will use Breeze LS (liquid scintillation) vials as CRMs are not practical for jobs of that size. What do you like about working in the radon profession? I enjoy the fact that we are actually saving lives and helping people breathe easier about their home air. We also have a great honor and responsibility to educate everyone we encounter regarding the health issues posed by radon and its progeny. Any challenges so far? If so, explain. Ignorance is the biggest challenge we face. Misconceptions or lack of information fostered by some real estate agents and home inspectors make our job more difficult. “Why was the device placed within 10 feet of a granite countertop?” When did you first get certified? Unfortunately, I waited a couple of years to get certified through NRPP and did so in 2020. Our state doesn’t require it, so I didn’t think I needed it. Why did you get certified? Many builders (and now some savvy homeowners) are requiring that we hold a national certification. This year, North Carolina passed a law requiring it, and that will go into effect this year. Why NRPP? NRPP is the nationally recognized standard bearer. What benefit(s) did certification bring? We mostly cater to home inspectors and real estate agents, both of which need to give their clients assurances as to our proficiency as radon testers. Most area builders are now requiring it. Any advice for people who are considering a career in radon? As public awareness increases and more people work from home, radon awareness and action are needed now more than ever. Any advice for people who are considering certification? Don’t wait like I did! PRODUCTS Radon Testing EASY-TO-USE & ACCURATE Air Chek NC (800)247-2435 AccuStar MA (888)480-8812 PA (800) 523-4964 FREE RadStar Alpha CRM Demo NATIONALLY ACCREDITED & CERTIFIED, LICENSED WHERE REQUIRED Call for Abstracts for Indoor Environments 2024™ Radon and Vapor Intrusion Symposium September 15 - 18, 2024 | Orlando, Florida Submissions for proposals and short courses must be received by April 1, 2024. The largest gathering of specialists, educators, manufacturers, researchers, and technicians in the eld of soil gas contaminants in the US willconvene at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Join Indoor Environments for 4 days of education, social activities and a tradeshow.