If you’ve bought a home in the last 10 years, you’ll know that one of the requirements for the sale is a radon test (at least it is here in Colorado).
Radon has become known to be a dangerous silent, scentless gas. Debra Holtzman J.D, M.A, “The Safety Expert”, an internationally acclaimed child safety and health expert and the best-selling author of “The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living” says it causes up to 21,000 deaths from lung cancer every year. Only smoking causes more lung cancer.
She gives 7 facts we need to know for our families here to help you understand and stay safe.
- Radon is caused by the breakdown of uranium. Outdoors, the air is not concentrated enough to cause harm but inside in buildings, such as homes, the close quarters can cause it to become concentrated in your cells over time and cause cancer.
- Geography is what affects whether or not you have higher radon levels. Some parts of the country are higher and even within neighborhoods, the rock structure can make one neighbor have high levels while another has low levels. To know, you must get your house tested.
- There are several ways radon can enter your home – through the water supply, leaks in the seals around pipes, drains and the sump pit, and from cracks or holes in the walls and foundation.
- Free kits may be available from your local health department or you can try your local hardware store. Kits run between $10 and $45. Holtzman also recommends asking for a test be run on your children’s daycare or school if it hasn’t been done before.
- If the test indicates high levels in your home, she says, don’t despair. The state can recommend qualified radon mitigation contractors and the system they install will cost around $800-$2,500 which might sound high but is a small price for your health or your ability to resell your home.
- If the test comes back high, you may also want to consider testing your water supply. Contact your local utility if you are on public water or, if you are on a well, contact a certified lab to test the water.
- If you plan on building, speak to your builder or contractor about installing radon-resistant features when the building is going on to help prevent problems later. Before you more in, definitely still test to make sure everything is ok.
Find out more about radon at http://epa.gov/radon/.
Marijo Tinlin is the Editor in Chief of Family First, one of the oldest family-oriented websites on the internet. She is also the author of a book about patriotism and teaching our children to love this country called “How to Raise an American Patriot, Making it Okay for Our Kids to Be Proud to Be American.” It features 13 interviews with patriotic Americans including Ed Meese, Erick Erickson and Jackie Gingrich Cushman. It’s available at www.raisinganamericanpatriot.com.
