Winter is a Great Time to Test your Home for Radon!
By Larainne Koehler
January is National Radon Action Month.
The hustle and bustle of the holidays is over and, here in New York City, we are having some of the coldest weather in years. Our doors and windows are closed against the cold, and that’s one of the first steps in getting a good results from a radon test.
By now some of you are asking – “What is radon and why do you need a test for it?” Others are remembering that they have heard about it, but haven’t taken action yet – what are you waiting for?
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the decay of naturally occurring radium and uranium in the earth. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall and the LEADING cause in non-smokers. The EPA estimates that as many as 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year are caused by radon. Radon is colorless and odorless, so the only way to know if your home has a problem is to test for it.
The EPA and the US Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon and if the levels are high, take steps to lower them. Now you may be thinking – “How do I find a test?” Ready for that one – New Yorkers can get a test kit from the New York State Radon Program by going to their website and downloading an application. The cost is only $8.50 per test kit. Follow the instructions and send the kit back to the lab for analysis. If you are a New Yorker at heart, but not actually living in New York State, you can also get test kits for $15 through the National Radon Program Services at Kansas State University at http://sosradon.org/test-kits
So take a step to protect your health and order a test kit today. Get more information at www.epa.gov/radon.
About the author: Larainne Koehler is the Radon and Indoor Air Coordinator for EPA Region 2 and has been working on issues associated with indoor air and radon since she joined the agency in 1984.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.