Radon, the Silent Killer

photo credit: Daniel Y. Go via photopin cc

We have been advising our clients to do radon tests when purchasing their homes these past few years and this year we have had several homes test positive.  It seems to be a fairly common problem here in the Salt Lake valley.  The good news is that fixing the problem it generally isn't very difficult.  Most of our clients have been able to remediate the problem for less than $1,500.



So why do we care so much about radon?  

According to The National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov, radon is the second most common cause of lung cancer.  Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to  EPA's 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003).

What exactly is Radon?

Radon is a cancer causing, radioactive gas.  It is an invisible gas that you can't taste or smell.  Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water that eventually gets into the air you breathe.

Testing for Radon

Radon can be detected by a simple test that good home inspectors are able to test for.  There are a number of tests available in the home improvement stores.  Some home inspectors have the ability to test for radon as part of their home inspection.  The National Radon Program Services at Kansas State University offers discounted test kits available to purchase online.  Here is the link to their site http://sosradon.org/test-kits.

How to fix the problem

The good news about radon is that in order to remediate the problem it generally isn't a difficult process.  There are several ways to reduce the levels of radon in the home but the primary way is to use a vent pipe system and fan that pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside.  This is know as a soil suction radon reduction system.  There are many ways to ways to reduce the amount of radon and we recommend discussing it with a professional radon mitigator.

For more information on radon please visit  http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html.

For more information about things to look for when buying a home please visit www.saltlakeopenhouse.com