Lead off with Deb’s story exactly as is…
Deb Violette is one of the lucky ones… only 17% of lung cancer patients live more than 5 years after diagnosis. Most important, she had a smart doctor that helped make the connection between the radon levels in the air and water in her home and her lung cancer: radon-related lung cancers are the second leading cause of lung cancer nationwide, and the #1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
In Maine, high levels of radon gas occur naturally in our soil and water: a result of the breakdown of the lovely granite upon which Maine sits. Colorless and odorless, radon gas gets trapped in buildings that have contact with the earth, such as your home. The Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention estimates that 33% of Maine homes are likely to have radon levels above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended action level. And if you are in Cumberland County, that estimate rises to 66%.
Lung cancer rates, high risk, high prevalence in Maine—these statistics make radon seem pretty scary. But there is great news: it’s easy to know whether or not your home has a radon problem, and in most cases, there are fairly straightforward and easy ways to reduce radon to acceptable levels. Here are some simple tips for how you can test and fix your home for radon, and thus protect you and your family from radon-related lung cancer.
- Test Your Home for Radon – Fall and Winter are Perfect
You can’t tell by looking at your home whether or not it has high radon. Nor can you tell by what type of foundation it has, how old it is, or by your next door neighbor’s test result. The only way to know whether or not your home has high radon is to test it. The Fall and Winter months–when your doors and windows are closed and your heat is on–are the best time of year to test your home for radon. Testing in “closed conditions” gives you the best assessment of the potential risk to you and your family. If your home has a private well, you will need to test the water, too, since radon can be released from the water into the air.
Testing your home for radon is easy and can be done by you or a registered professional. Homeowners can purchase test kits ($50 or less per test kit) from state-registered environmental labs—either directly from the lab or at hardware stores and retail lumber outlets. (Note: If your home is for sale, and a radon air or water test is going to be done, State law requires the test be done by a registered radon professional. State law also requires radon testing by registered radon professionals in all residential rentals.) Lists of both registered testing professionals and environmental labs are available on the State of Maine’s radon home page, available at www.maineradiationcontrol.org or by calling 1-800-232-0842 or 207-287-5698.
- At What Level Should You Fix Your Home?
Fix your home if:
- Your radon in air level is at or above 4. (U.S. EPA and Maine CDC further recommend you consider fixing your home if your radon in air levels are between 2 and 4. Homeowners can call the Maine Radon Section to discuss options (1-800-232-0842 or 207-287-5698.
- Your radon in water level is at or above 10,000.
If your home tests high for radon in air or water, contact a radon professional registered with the State of Maine to install a system in your home to prevent radon exposure to you and your family. The good news: in most cases, available methods make it possible to get radon in air levels to 2 or below; and radon in water levels to 4,000 or below. Be sure to talk with your radon professional about available options, costs, and efficacy. The Maine CDC maintains lists of all registered radon professionals at www.maineradiationcontrol.org.
- Build Radon Out of Your New Home
If you are planning on building a new home, install radon preventive features during construction. Installing radon preventive features during construction is:
Cheaper: All the key features of the radon system can be installed in your new home for $500-$1000, compared to $1500 or more for a retrofit system.
More effective: Installing radon preventive features during construction will make that system more effective at reducing radon in air levels to 2 or below.
More energy efficient: Radon preventive features installed during construction have straighter pathways, allowing for the potential that natural forces alone (without an electric fan) will keep radon levels at 2 or below.
Part of Maine building codes: Installing radon preventive features during construction is easy, but you have to pay attention to details. To help you get it right, the first time, the Maine building codes include requirements for radon systems being installed during new construction.
Guidance on how to build radon out of your new home is available through your local Codes official or the State Radon Section (1-800-232-0842 or 207-287-5698)
- Don’t Neglect Radon When Doing Renovations or Energy Upgrades
Because radon is a gas, any renovation that changes how air flows around and through your home can impact your radon levels. Always test your air both before and after your renovation to make sure your home has acceptable levels of radon.
These tips are provided by the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to create healthy, environmentally sustainable indoor environments in Maine. For more information about indoor air quality in your home, school or workplace, contact the Council at www.maineindoorair.org or 207-626-8115.
For the Indoor Insanity Sidebar:
1/3 of the homes in Maine are expected to have high levels of radon, yet for those with limited financial means, there are few if any resources available to help with the costs of systems that prevent lung cancer. The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council started its Indoor Insanity 5K initiative 3 years ago to raise funds to install radon systems in low-income households in Maine. If you want to support this effort to prevent lung cancer here in Maine, consider participating in or donating to the 2017 Indoor Insanity 5k, scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2017 at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. This is a fun, unique event: no ice underfoot, no frigid gusts in your face, no snow—just running! Go to www.maineindoorair.org/indoor-insanity-5k for details.
