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Healthy Homes Radon

Providing education on radon exposure prevention and mitigation to protect your health.

What is radon?

Radon is a cancer causing, radioactive gas. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released in rock, soil, and water from the natural decay of uranium. While levels in outdoor air pose a relatively low threat to human health, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels inside buildings. You can't see. smell, or taste it, but an elevated level in your home may be affecting the health of your family.

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and the number one cause among non-smokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the country each year. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths, If you smoke and your home has radon, your risk of lung cancer may be even higher.

Could radon be in my home?

Radon has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state. No area of the country is free from risk. Indeed, two homes right next to each other can have vastly different radon levels.

What is considered an elevated radon level?

The EPA action level is 4 pCi/L. Which means that levels at 4 pCi/L or higher are considered unsafe and action is required to fix your home.

How do I find out if my home has elevated radon levels?

The only way to know if your home is above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L is to test. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon. Testing your house for radon is easy to do. It's as easy as opening a package, placing a radon detector in a designated area, and, after a set amount of days, sending the detector back to a lab for analysis.

Where can I get a radon test kit?

If you live in Ohio, you may obtain a free radon test kit with free analysis by going to www.drhomeair.com/oh

Radon test kits are available at your local home improvement or hardware store, usually priced under $25.00. Kits are also available to order online.

What if I find out my home has an elevated radon level above 4 pCi/L?

The cost of making repairs to reduce radon levels depends on several factors, including how your home was built. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. The average cost for a contractor to mitigate radon levels in a home is about $1,200.

Will any contractor do?

EPA recommends that you have a qualified radon mitigation contractor fix your home and Ohio requires radon contractors to be licensed by the Ohio Department of Health. Click here to find a licensed radon mitigator in your area.