Tip of the Week
Detecting Radon
Are you considering turning your basement into a family rec room or a play space for the kids? If so, be sure to pick up a radon testing kit the next time you hit the hardware store.
Radon, a colorless, tasteless gas, forms as naturally occurring uranium decays in soil and water, and it's the second-leading cause of lung cancer in America. Particularly problematic in basements because it leaks in via cracks in your foundation, homeowners without basements may still have radon problems, given that the gas moves from the ground up and can enter a home through any leaky crack or hole.
Radon is more prevalent in areas with lots of granite, shale, phosphate and pitchblend (a type of rock common throughout the West and Southwest). Even so, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in every 15 homes nationwide has elevated radon levels. Fortunately, it's easy to monitor as long as you pick up a good radon detector, like the AirChek Radon Test ($9.95; www.radon.com), or a similar product, many of which are available at your local hardware or home improvement store.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and the EPA recommends that concentrations of above 4.0 pCi/L be quickly mitigated by a professional. However, a 2005 University of Iowa study found an 11 to 21 percent increase in lung-cancer risk when average residential radon levels reached approximately 3.0 pCi/L over five to 30 years. Radon mitigation professionals can be found through the National Radon Safety Board (www.nrsb.org) or through your state's EPA office (www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html).
You can also keep your home's radon levels low by keeping it properly ventilated and by sealing cracks in the foundation.
