National Radon Action Month 2008 ended on January 31, but that doesn’t mean the threat has ended. In recent weeks, the Department of Community Health and the Environment received a number of requests for free radon testing kits. While we don’t know exactly why the number of requests increased, the fact that they did increase is encouraging. More requests are a good thing!
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas produced by the decay of uranium. Uranium is found in trace amounts almost everywhere. Normally, the concentrations that are naturally found are not hazardous. However, when uranium is contained in soil under and against the foundation of a building, cracks and openings in the foundation can allow radon to leak inside and become concentrated. If the concentration is high enough, it can substantially increase the risk of lung cancer in occupants of the building. Private residences are of greatest concern because of the number of hours people spend in their homes.
Much of the state of Missouri, including St. Charles County, has a "moderate potential" for elevated indoor radon levels according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Counties in the moderate potential zone have a predicted average indoor radon level between two and four picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. Any level above four pCi/L requires mitigation. Because conditions vary from location to location, all homes should be tested for radon.
When my family and I moved to St. Charles County, one of the first things I did was to buy an inexpensive (less than $20) radon test kit at a local hardware store and test our house. Using the kit is simplicity itself. You open it, read the short instructions for suggested placement in your home, put it out, and leave it undisturbed for the amount of time indicated. Then, at the end of that testing period, you put the kit in the postage–paid mailing envelope provided, fill out your information on the form with the kit, and then mail it. In few weeks, you will receive the test results in the mail.
Why is this a good thing to do? Well, most importantly, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non–smokers. For smokers, exposure to radon substantially increases the risk of lung cancer far above that of the risk from smoking alone. This is a synergistic effect, where the two risks combined are multiplied, in this case by a factor of twenty. To illustrate, if you compare a large group of smokers and non–smokers exposed to exactly the same level of radon, the smokers are twenty times more likely to develop lung cancer.
So the obvious question is, if I complete a test and find I have radon levels high enough to be of concern, what can I do? Here are some suggestions:
- First, if you haven't already, test your home for radon. If you test your home in the summer, spring, or fall when windows and doors are more likely to be open, it is a good idea to test it again during the cold winter months when the home is more closed up and radon is more likely to accumulate.
- Educate yourself about radon. Some websites are listed below that have a lot of information online and free literature available to download. The EPA site is a good place to start.
- If you need to have work done to reduce radon levels in your home, the good news is that this does not necessarily have to be expensive. Often, simply sealing cracks and gaps in the foundation and slightly increasing air circulation in and out of the house is all that is necessary. It is highly recommended that this work be done by a qualified radon service professional. The EPA website contains information to assist you in finding a company. There are also local companies that specialize in the remediation of environmental hazards. In any case, ALWAYS get multiple bids from several companies and ask for and check references.
If you are interested in testing your home for radon, contact us. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services sends test kits to local health departments throughout the state for free distribution to residents. Call (636) 949-7400 for information about free radon testing kits.
Here are some links to information on the web:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
St. Charles County Environmental Public Health radon page
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services radon page
Testing your home for radon is one of the easiest and most inexpensive things you can do to protect your health and the health of your family.