Radon - the killer underfoot
January is National Radon Action Month

The hidden killer lurking in the basement is prime content for Hollywood horror films. While movie monsters can be delightfully, and safely, frightening; the real danger beneath the floor of your home is invisible, odorless, tasteless naturally-occurring radioactive radon gas.

Radon is released when uranium decays. It is found naturally in rock, soil and water.

Gas released outdoors dissipates into the air and poses little risk to health. If that same gas is trapped and accumulates inside a building like your home, it creates a serious health hazard.

Smoking is the number one cause of death from lung-cancer. Exposure to excessive levels of radon is number two. For non-smokers, radon is the leading cause of death from lung cancer.

Because an estimated 20,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer caused by radon, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is educating Americans on the dangers of radon in the home.

There is no place safe from radon. No city, no state is free from radon risk.

High levels of radon in homes are normally caused by gas seeping in from surrounding earth. Radon gets in through cracks or openings for plumbing or sump pumps. Although highest levels are usually found in the rooms directly adjacent to the ground such as basements, first floors or garages; radon can be found anywhere in any building.

Radon exposure is arbitrary. Two neighboring houses can have radically different levels of radon gas. The only way to know if your home is safe is with a simple easy test.

Radon testing kits can be purchased at most home improvement stores. The opened test container is placed in a designated area for a specific time period. The package is then mailed to a testing site for evaluation. Results are returned to the homeowner.

If unhealthy levels of radon are found in your home, repairs and renovations can be made to the existing structure. Cost for repairs will depend on your home.

The most common method of repair is installation of a vent pipe and fan. This combination pulls the radon gas from the home before it can accumulate to dangerous levels.

When constructing a new building or renovating an existing structure, cost-effective radon-resistant techniques can be used. If you are making changes to your home such as finishing a basement, test for radon before you start to determine current radon levels and decide if these methods should be used to correct or prevent a problem.

When purchasing a new home, check to see if builders used construction methods to reduce radon accumulation. Make radon testing part of your punch list when purchasing a home, building or any enclosed structure.

To get information on testing and prevention, call the EPA Radon office at 1-800-55RADON or go to their website http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html

Not everyone exposed to excessive radon will develop lung cancer. The effect is felt long after exposure occurs. What you do today may change the quality and duration of you and your family’s tomorrows.

This column was first published in a January 2009 Greene County Record.

Read Boomer Journeys and other articles by Alex Carrier in the Greene County Record

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