National Radon Action Month
Don’t allow the No. 2 cause of lung cancer to seep into your home.
January is National Radon Action Month, and Kansas State University’s (K-State’s) Bruce Snead wants homeowners to do just that — take action. If you’ve not had your home tested recently for radon, the odorless, colorless and tasteless gas linked to lung cancer, now is the time.
Radon is produced by the decay of radioactive elements in the soil. It’s a known environmental hazard, can seep through joints or cracks in a home’s foundation (or slab), and is known to be the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.
Radon is present in as many as 25% of Kansas homes, said Snead, who is the director of engineering extension at K-State. You can find the average radon level in your state or in your county at www.radon.com/maps/.
Most K-State Research & Extension offices (www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html) offer a low-cost ($5-$10) home test kit that can identify the presence of radon. Radon detectors are also available at discount department, hardware and home stores, usually for $25 or less.
If a home or other structure tests positive for radon levels above the recommended ceiling of 4.0 pC/L (Pico Curies per liter) for radon, Snead encourages homeowners to hire a professional for a mitigation system installation.
In Kansas, radon service providers are required to be certified by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) as a radon measurement and/or mitigation technician or a certified radon laboratory. The certification process is designed to ensure that a home or building owner is employing trained professionals capable of measuring and mitigating a health risk, Snead said.
Currently, KDHE has 237 certified measurement professionals, 85 certified mitigation professionals, and 15 laboratories certified to provide radon services in Kansas. The complete list of certified radon professionals is available at (www.kdheks.gov/radiation/download/Certified_Contractor_List.pdf).
Mitigating radon often can be accomplished in one day, with a guarantee to reduce the level below 4 pCi/L. The average cost ranges from $1,200 to $1,700 nationally, Snead said.
More information about radon is available at most K-State Research & Extension offices, online at the Kansas Radon Program (based at K-State) at www.kansasradonprogram.org or by calling 1-800-693-5343. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Radon Program Services also is housed in Engineering Extension at K-State. EPA’s online information portal for radon awareness, which includes links for testing and finding professional assistance nationwide, is available at www.epa.gov/radon.
Editor’s Note:This article was provided by K-State Research & Extension.
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