Owners encouraged to test homes during National Radon Action Month
MetroCreative
MetroCreative
Officials recommend testing be done in the basement as radon levels are often highest there.
Most homeowners don鈥檛 bother testing their homes for radon, an invisible, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas that is the second-leading cause of lung cancer.
鈥淯sually they don鈥檛 test when they live in a house. It鈥檚 when they go to sell. The potential buyer will have the opportunity for a home inspection and a radon test and it usually gets fixed from there,鈥� said Mary Jones, a certified employee for radon mitigation for Precision Home Inspectors and Alpha Detection and Control, located in Connellsville and owned by her husband, Dan.
Jones noted that some homeowners do test and can easily do it themselves by obtaining a kit at a home improvement store.
鈥淚n a real estate transaction, you have to hire someone to do the testing as well as radon removal,鈥� explained Jones. 鈥淏ut if you live in a house and are curious, you can buy a test kit, follow the directions and see what your numbers are.鈥�
Pennsylvania officials are hoping more residents will test their homes, sending out a reminder in January, which is National Radon Action Month.
January is recommended as the state noted in the release, 鈥淲inter is a good time to test, because doors and windows are closed, providing more accurate results.鈥�
The state explains radon occurs from the breakdown of uranium in the ground that enters homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings.
鈥淏ecause of Pennsylvania鈥檚 geology, there are high radon levels in locations around the state, putting residents at risk of exposure,鈥� Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a release. 鈥淔ortunately, it鈥檚 simple to determine the radon level in your home using an inexpensive test.鈥�
The state noted homeowners can buy a test canister at a hardware or home improvement store for about $25 or hire a state-certified testing company. It is recommended that testing be done in the basement as radon levels are often highest there.
Those who buy a kit should open the canister and let it sit in the open a few days. Then close it up and mail it to the laboratory on the label.
The state explained in the release, 鈥淭he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies 4 picocuries of radon per liter of air as the action level for radon. If your home鈥檚 radon level is higher, EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend having a radon reduction system, with a pipe and exhaust fan, professionally installed to vent the gas outside. The cost is generally in line with other home improvements, such as replacing a water heater. Having a radon reduction system installed makes the future sale of a home easier, too.鈥�
Jones said, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a system that can be installed in a day and costs between $800 and $900. You have to be certified to install it.鈥�
For more information, visit www.dep.pa.gov and do a search for radon. The site includes videos and resources for homeowners.