The Silent, Cancer-Causing Gas Lurking in Many Homes

By Molly Mason

As Stanley Watras worked his shift constructing the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant in the mid1980s, he heard a radiation alarm which he later learned he set off. His new home had elevated radon levels, a gas produced naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks. Since World War II, studies have shown long-term exposure to high levels of radon resulted in unusually high incidence of lung cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began monitoring radon levels nationally after other homes in Watras’ Pennsylvania community tested positive.

Today, radon is found in every state in the United States, as well as every county in Michigan. Southern Michigan has the highest risk for radon exposure, with more than 50% of homes tested in Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Branch County testing higher than the acceptable risk level by the Michigan EGLE.

Breathing radon gas exposes residents to small amounts of radiation which may damage the cells lining the lungs and increase the risk of lung cancer. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall according to the EPA, with the U.S. Surgeon General issuing a national health advisory on radon in 2005. The risk increases with the amount of time living in a radon-contaminated house.

“When we bought our home about five years ago, someone recommended getting our home tested for radon because it is so prevalent in southern Michigan,” said Hannah Sayles, a Hillsdale County resident. “We got the free test from the health department and our results were higher than the acceptable risk levels but we delayed hiring a mitigation company. Then my husband had a client whose wife lost her life from lung cancer but she never smoked, which was the reminder we needed to get this taken care of for the safety of our family.”

“It’s not uncommon to be called because someone has passed away from lung cancer who never smoked,” said Scott Manifold, owner of Southern Michigan Radon. “When the family is looking for answers, a doctor often recommends getting the house tested for radon.”

Radon gas can’t be seen or smelled, so the only way to know whether you’re being exposed is to test for it. Radon enters the home through cracks in floors or walls and gaps in foundations around pipes, wires, or pumps undetected. “Any age of home can be affected, but newer homes often test higher for radon because they are more weather resistant,” said Manifold. “Many passive systems are improperly installed and may lead to more radon, but even the properly installed ones don’t guarantee the absence of radon. A passive system prepares the house for a radon mitigation system, making it easier to install a system guaranteed to reduce the radon levels.”

Radon test kits are available for free through the health department and MSU Extension office or you can buy a do-ityourself kit from a hardware store or online. If results are higher than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), take steps to lower the radon levels as soon as possible. The solution for reducing radon levels is a vent pipe system that pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it outside above the roof line. The installation cost varies depending on the age of the house but averages $1,000.

“If you sell your house in the future, someone may test your house, discover it has radon, and you’ll have to install a mitigation system anyway,” said Manifold. “The seller always pays to fix it. If you’ll have to pay to fix it anyway, shouldn’t you be enjoying the benefits of better air quality?

Radon levels can vary greatly from home to home, so even if a neighbor’s test reveals lower radon levels, your home should still be tested. The best time to test for radon is during the winter months. “It’s a health risk factor you can absolutely control,” said Manifold. “If you are doing everything else in your life but not fixing your home for radon, you are still exposed to a potentially dangerous gas.”

Many people in the area don’t know anything about radon. They’ve never even heard of it,” said Sayles. “For your health and your family’s health, this is a very serious health issue. Don’t delay testing.