What is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can't see it, taste it, or smell it.
Where Does Radon Come From?
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the United States.
Is Radon Dangerous?
According to the Surgeon General of the United States, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer; second only to smoking.
According to a risk assessment from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon causes 21,000 premature cancer deaths each year in the United States.
Southeastern Minnesota and Iowa have some of the highest concentrations of radon in the country.
Who Should Test their Home for Radon?
According to the Minnesota Department of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency, everyone should test their home for radon. Testing your home is the only way to know what the radon levels are. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.
People getting ready to sell their home should have it tested before putting it on the market. Many buyers are requiring radon testing to be done at the time of inspection. If the radon levels are known, and they have been lowered before the house is listed, then it can make the buying and selling process flow much easier. In today's slowing real estate market, you want to make your house as appealing as possible to potential buyers. Your real estate agent may even advertise the fact that your home has low radon levels as a possible selling point.
Home buyers should have a radon test done as part of the inspection process on any home they are looking at buying. Nearly 50% of all homes tested in Olmsted County have radon levels that are considered unsafe. Home radon levels can easily be lowered, but with the average mitigation costing $1,500.00, you don't want that unexpected cost to come up in the future.
All newly built homes should be tested for radon after they are completed and occupied. Starting June 1st, 2009, all new homes are required by Minnesota law to have passive radon mitigation systems installed at the time of construction. Even with a passive radon mitigation system installed, the home should still be tested for radon. Natural ventilation through the passive system may not be enough to lower the radon levels. The system may need to be activated by installing a fan on the existing pipe in the attic.
