Test your home for radon
Add air safety to your spring to-do list
AS YOU TACKLE SPRING cleaning and home projects this season, add one more task to your list: Test your home for radon.
Radon is a gas that forms naturally when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It can seep into homes through cracks in floors and walls, and once inside, the dangerous gas can build up to high levels. You cannot see, smell or taste it—and yet, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who do not smoke.
Testing for radon is an important step for your health. Any home, regardless of style, age or location, can have elevated radon. The only way to know if you have a radon problem is to test for it—but despite the risk, only 13 of every 10,000 homes in Kentucky are tested each year.
Fortunately, radon tests are simple and low-cost or often free, and Kentuckians have several ways to take action to protect themselves, their family and pets. Digital radon detectors can be borrowed for free from certain public libraries through the Radon on the RADAR project. Digital detectors also might be available to borrow from your county Cooperative Extension Office. You can purchase do-it-yourself radon test kits from local home improvement stores or from the American Lung Association, or even hire a certified radon measurement professional to test your home.
Experts recommend that you take action to lower radon in your home if your radon level registers at or above 4 picocuries per liter. Certified radon mitigation professionals can install systems that lower radon levels. To find searchable directories of qualified contractors, visit the websites of the National Radon Proficiency Program (nrpp.info/pro-search) or the National Radon Safety Board (nrsb.org/for-professional).
Planning to build a new home this year? Ask your contractor about using radon-resistant new construction techniques to minimize radon entry.
As you care for your home this spring, take a simple step to keep it healthy and safe—test for radon and protect your family and pets from lung cancer.
STACY STANIFER, PH.D., is a member of BREATHE, a multidisciplinary research and outreach initiative within the University of Kentucky College of Nursing.
