Radon Gas

"The potential for a problem is very strong in this state and everybody should be testing. Everybody is concerned about mold exposure, the health evidence for radon is maybe 1,000-10,000 times stronger than it is with mold."

Bill Angell, University of Minnesota Air Quality Project

Bill is a nationwide expert on radon who's testified on the subject before Congress.

The U.S. Surgeon General said radon-induced lung cancer kills 21,000 people every year.

It kills 1,000 Minnesotans each year.

The Environmental Protection Agency of the US Government has set a threshold of 4 pico curies per liter as the maximum safe level. As humans are exposed to the gas over a period of years, it can have a significant and detrimental effect. Breathing air from a home with just one unit of radon is equal to smoking two cigarettes a day.

How widespread is the problem? Radon has been found in homes in all 50 states. Minnesota being more susceptible than others (http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html). The Minnesota Department of Health recommends that all Minnesota homeowners test their homes for radon.

Click the following link for statistics, county by county, from the most comprehensive data compiled since 1988 by the WCCO I-Team in November of 2004.

  http://wcco.com/content/local_file_033165140. 

HomeSight Inspections conducts passive radon tests.  We are able to provide you with some of the fastest results available in radon testing. Over a period of days, with a minimum of 48 hours, testing devices are left in the lowest level of the home which is normally occupied. Then the results are analyzed by professionals at our laboratory. While do-it-yourself test kits are available, you will be waiting for your results long after your purchase agreement terms have expired.  With HomeSight, you will be given the information you need to move forward in your real estate transaction, in a timely manner.

High radon levels do not "condemn" a home.

If high concentrations of radon are found in your home, you need to contact a radon mitigation professional to ensure that the radon is effectively dealt with. Typical radon mitigation systems can cost between $800 and $1200. 

If radon test results already exist, make sure they are recent or that the home has not been significantly renovated since the test was performed. If in doubt, get a new test done. If you're selling a home, having a recent radon test is a great idea. By being proactive, you can assure potential buyers that there is no risk and avoid the issue from the start.

So whether you have an old home or a new one radon is a reality. But it is a reality that we can live with. Proper testing and mitigation can eliminate radon as a health threat. For more information, visit the EPA web site on radon at http://www.epa.gov/radon.