In recent months, the Department of Community Health and the Environment has received an unusual number of requests for free radon test kits. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services sends these test kits to local health departments throughout the state for distribution to residents. Why the number or requests has increased is much less important than the fact that it is a very good idea to test your home for radon. More requests are a good thing!
When my family and I moved to St. Charles County 11 years ago, 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 house, 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.
But what is radon? Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that is a product of the decay of uranium. Uranium is found in trace amounts almost everywhere. Normally, the concentrations that are naturally found are not hazardous. However, when they are 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.
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 Environmental Protection Agency (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.
Here are some links to information on the web:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/radon/
St. Charles County Environmental Public Health radon page
http://www.scchealth.org/docs/ph/ph_docs/phehs/pro_radon.html
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services radon page
http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Radon/ (an EXCELLENT resource)
Residents of St. Charles County can call 636-949-7400 to ask about a free radon test kit. Testing your home for radon is one of the most inexpensive steps you can ever take to protect your health and the health of your family.