healthy living
Dangerous ground Test your house for radon gas
LEA HANSON
Get your kit
Pick up your radon testing kit at one of the following locations
Fort Collins
Purchase radon-testing kits at a discounted rate of $5 for short-term, $18 for long-term kits at: Fort Collins Senior Center at 1200 Raintree Drive Fort Collins Development Review Center at 281 North College Ave.
Greeley
FREE test kits may be picked up 8am–5pm, Monday–Friday at: 1555 N. 17th Ave., Greeley
W
hat is radon? Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, radioactive gas created during the decay of radioactive elements (such as uranium) in soil. Radon is everywhere, and Colorado has higher concentrations than other areas in the country. It is present both outdoors and indoors and is drawn into homes and other buildings through cracks and openings in basements, crawl spaces, and foundation slabs. Radon levels vary from house to house and have nothing to do with age, quality, or upkeep of the home. WHY IS RADON A CONCERN? Being exposed to radon for a long period of time has been shown to cause lung cancer. Radon gas in the air breaks down into tiny radioactive elements that can lodge in the lining of the lungs, where they can give off radiation. This radiation can damage lung cells and eventually lead to lung cancer. The EPA lists radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer among 16
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non-smokers, estimating it is responsible for about 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year. However, professionals don’t want families to be overly fearful of exposure, especially tiny amounts. Gabrielle Vergara, Environmental Health Program Coordinator for Weld County, says, “It’s kind of similar to smoking in that smoking one cigarette isn’t going to cause a person to develop lung cancer. Being exposed to small amounts of radon once or twice a day also won’t. But, it’s that long-term exposure that can be dangerous.” Sadly, people don’t even know they’re being exposed to radon because exposure doesn’t come with any other symptoms. Vergara says, “The thing that makes radon unique is that it doesn’t have any tangible, identifying factors such as smell or taste. People too often don’t even realize their house could have radon in it. So, the only way to know is to test for it.” HOW DO I TEST FOR RADON? It is easy to test for radon yourself; home self-tests are readily available
and easily accessible. As with any self-test, follow the directions in the kit. Conduct tests in the lowest level of the home that is currently lived in (e.g. basement). Do NOT test in a room with high moisture content, such as a kitchen or a bathroom, nor in a space that is not lived in, such as a closet or crawlspace. See the sidebar for free or discounted resources through your local government. The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) recommends radon reduction if your home level exceeds 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). If you’re not willing or able to do a self-test, you can hire a professional tester. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (www.colorado.gov/cdphe) provides an updated list (http://tinyurl.com/h5owbko) of testers that have been certified by the National Environmental Health Association (http://nrpp.info/) or the National Radon Safety Board (www.nrsb.org/). You can also easily find radon professionals online in the phone book under Radon Testing or Radon Mitigation.