Home Testing For Radon Saves Lives
December 15, 2014- Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.
Radon is a gas with no color, taste or odor, which becomes present when uranium decays in the soil. Radon is found in all 50 states. The radioactive gas dissipates into the air and poses no health risk, but inside a home radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
As a follow-up to our blog post on the danger of radon exposure in our nation's schools, "The ABCs of the EPA's National Radon Action Month," we spotted a KSN.com post that urges homeowners to test for radon.
Here are some of the highlights from the post, "Radon: The invisible Kansas killer":
• When Beth Anderson, a 54-year-old non-smoking Wichita teacher was diagnosed with lung cancer, her doctor said, "It's probably radon."
• A test of the Anderson home confirmed high radon levels. For 20 years without her knowledge, she had been breathing the poisonous gas. "We can’t perceive any aspect of radon, its presence, the amount, its effects on us," said Bruce Snead of the Kansas Radon Program at KSU, quoted in the post.
• Even though radon is also found in well water and the granite used in kitchen countertops, Snead says in Kansas, only the radon in the ground is concentrated enough to harm us, when seeping inside homes through cracks in the foundation.
It’s estimated one in four Kansas homes has high radon levels, yet most are never tested.
• "There is no requirement anywhere in the United States that a test be done,” Snead tells KSN.com. "It’s common. It’s recommended that all homes be tested. The Surgeon General’s recommended that all homes be tested."
• The post notes that although a professional radon contractor charges about $125; the do-it-yourself tests are only $10.
• Kansas does not require radon tests for home sales, but four cities in Kansas do require new homes to have radon venting systems. It adds up to $500 to the price of construction in Salina, Manhattan, Topeka and Lawrence.
• The EPA recommends you should fix your home if your radon level is 4 picocuries per liter, or pCi/L, or higher. The KSN.com post notes that a contractor can vent the radon out of the home by installing a suction system, often to existing sump pumps, and sealing any cracks in the foundation. Within 24 hours, radon levels are usually in the safe range.
• "Typical radon reduction range is from $800 to $2,500," said Brian May, owner of Radon Services of Kansas and quoted in the post.
• Home radon testing for radon is easy. After opening up the kit, insert the foam plug in the charcoal packet to catch any dust and then hang the device somewhere on the lowest level of the house, away from any drafts. After three to seven days, throw away the foam plug, seal the envelope, record the date and time the test was conducted, and mail it to the lab for analysis. Results are available online in a few days, and a lab report is mailed to the home.
• The KSN.com post concludes with an EPA-provided list for achieving reliable results from radon testing devices:
- Close your windows and outside doors at least 12 hours before beginning the test.
- Do not conduct short-term tests lasting less than four days during severe storms or periods of high winds.
- Follow the testing instructions and record the start time and date.
- Place the test device at least 20 inches above the floor in a location where it will not be disturbed and where it will be away from drafts, high heat, high humidity, and exterior walls
- Leave the test kit in place for as long as the test instructions say.
- Once the test is finished, record the stop time and date, reseal the package, and return it immediately to the lab specified on the package for analysis.
Read the full KSN.com post here.
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