Radon in your home: a preventable health risk.

We periodically encounter unexpected and unpleasant circumstances in life that catch us off guard: a flat tire, a broken tooth, flooding in our home during a rain, a death in the family. All these sorts of things are generally unavoidable and leave us asking the question, why me?

However, more frequently today, many homeowners, homebuyers and home sellers are encountering a health risk that is totally preventable: problems with radon gas.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium deep in the ground. As uranium decays, it produces radium, which upon further decay produces radon. Normally the quantities of radon we breathe each day aren't very significant because it is diluted by the earth's atmosphere. However, radon becomes trapped under structures as it rises to the surface. Because it is pressure driven, it finds its way inside through cracks in the slab, around 'plumbing piping, floor drains and cinderblock walls. Once inside, it collects to levels the EPA has determined to be a significant health risk. Long-term exposure to elevated levels of radon is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking). In fact, more deaths are estimated to be caused by radon each year in the U.S. (22,000) than those individually from fires, drowning, airplane crashes, and drunk driving. Furthermore, if you smoke and have a radon problem in your home, your risks are four to five times higher because the smoke helps the radon enter your lungs.

The only way you will know if your home has a problem is to get it tested. Radon testing is relatively inexpensive if performed by the homeowner ($20-$35) or if done by a professional who can certify the results for a real estate transaction ($50-$125) (depending how fast the results are needed). If you contract with someone to perform your test, make sure they are certified to conduct and interpret the tests by a nationally recognized radon certification organization (NEHA or the NRSB).

Problems with radon typically originate in areas of the country where bedrock granite is more prevalent. However, elevated levels of radon have been found in all fifty states, so the only way to know whether your home has a problem is to get your house tested.

If you encounter elevated levels of radon, you should contact contractors in your area who are certified to design and install radon abatement systems. The cost to fix the problem can vary (from $600 to $2500) depending on how high your radon level is, what type of structure you have (crawl space, slab or a combination of the two), how permeable the medium under the house is (gravel, sand or worse, clay). But regardless of what your circumstances are, problems with radon can always be safely lowered to EPA acceptable levels (below four picocuries).

Many county governments are now requiring builders (in accordance with CABO codes) to install passive radon piping in the homes they build. If the homeowner later tests his/her home and finds it slightly elevated, a radon contractor can then fix it for around $300 to $400 versus having to start from scratch.

The best time to test for radon is when you have plenty of time. Obviously this isn't an issue if you plan to stay in your current home. However, if you plan to move, it is advisable to get your home tested once it goes on the market. The reason for this is three-fold: 1) if you discover your home has a problem, it typically won't go away and will eventually have to be dealt with to satisfy prospective buyers, 2) if you find your radon level is slightly elevated, you can request that a re-test be performed to confirm you actually have a problem before spending money to fix it, 3) since the average sales cycle for a home is 120 days, a long term test (30-90 days) will provide a more representative picture of the true radon level whereas short term tests are more subject to fluctuation. If you risk waiting until the last moment prior to your closing to test, you may be forfeiting your option to re test due to time constraints.

Homeowners often spend $3000+ for a spa to be installed; yet some of those same individuals will balk at spending $75 to get their home radon tested. Many people buy flight insurance "just in case." People that smoke reduce their risks for lung cancer by quitting or cutting back. Testing for radon, and if need be, later installing a radon abatement system in a home is cheap insurance against the health risks that radon gas brings with it.

Stan Plowden is president of Radon Solutions LLC and is certified by NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) to perform radon testing/interpretation in accordance with EPA testing protocols and to design and install radon abatement systems in homes and businesses. He can be reached at 864-907-7616 or www.gotradon.com

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