Is It Safe? Radon

Q: A family moved in across the street and is installing a system to get rid of radon. Should I be worried about radon in my house?

A: Yes. Regardless of what your neighbor’s radon level is, you should be concerned about radon because being a radioactive gas it is a potent lung carcinogen. It is also odorless so you don’t know its in your home. The radon level in one home is not an indication of what will occur next door as type of foundation, depth to bedrock and other factors will differ. Therefore, its important to test your basement and living area at least once while living in the house. Having a high radon result in the area is even more reason to test as it shows that there is uranium in bedrock nearby.

I have heard of cases in which a resident dies of lung cancer who never smoked. When the family puts the house on the market, the new buyers require a radon test and it comes back high. Had the former resident tested the radon level years before (we have known about the hazards of radon since the 1980s) he might still be alive. Most radon tests are done when houses get sold, for the new people. However, its just as important for the people living in a home, perhaps with no intention to sell the home, to know their radon level.

This is actually a good time of year to test. Radon levels will be highest in the coldest months because the house is sealed up with the heat turned on creating what we call the “stack effect.” The warm air in the house rises up to the roof and draws air in from the soil gas, which is where radon exists. Radon tests for real estate transactions are typically done in spring/summer and so the result that time of year will tend to err on the low side.

Fortunately, testing for radon is simple and inexpensive. You can easily do it yourself unless its part of a real estate transaction in which case a third party (the home inspector) does it. A kit is available at most hardware stores with easy to follow directions and the address for a lab to send it off to when the test is done. If the level is above 4 picocuries per liter air in the basement then you will need to consider putting in a ventilation system below your basement to prevent the radon from coming in. This is a relatively easy solution that may cost $1000-$2000 but is something you would probably have to do anyway for the new people when you eventually sell your house. You may as well do it for yourself and keep your lungs healthy.

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Dr. Gary Ginsberg is a public health toxicologist in Connecticut and a lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health. He has written a book geared toward the general public, “What’s Toxic, What's Not,” and also has a website, whatstoxic.com, to answer questions about chemicals found in consumer products and in our homes.

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The Yale School of Public Health invites you to submit questions for Dr. Ginsberg as part of this recurring monthly series. Contact us through Facebook or by e-mailing Michael Greenwood at michael.greenwood@yale.edu