To the editor:
January is National Radon Action Month and we have radon test kits available to anyone who wants one. Just stop into the health department office at 201 Locust Lane in the County Office Building to obtain a kit. Here’s some information on radon:
Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. It’s the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and claims the lives of an estimated 21,000 Americans each year. It is occurs naturally and is produced by the radioactive decay of radium-226 in soil components. Radon-producing rocks are not present in all soils, but some regions are more predisposed to having radon than others. The entire state of Indiana is in a high-risk radon zone.
Radon enters a home where it comes into contact with soil. Slabs, crawl spaces and basements are all susceptible to radon infiltration. The radon level in a home depends on the soil under that specific home. Your neighbors on either side could have low radon levels while yours is high, or vice-versa. The only way to know if your home has radon is to test for it. Short-term tests typically are left in the home for a week or less and then sent to a lab for analysis. The test is simple to perform, unobtrusive, and has easy-to-follow instructions. The tests are free and available at your county health department.
The action level for radon in a home is 4 pCi/L. If the first short-term test comes back at 4 pCi/L or above, a follow-up test should be performed before determining the action that is to be taken next. Depending on the initial radon level obtained, the action taken could be either another short- or a long-term test. If the average of the two tests is above 4 pCi/L, it is recommended that a mitigation system be installed in the home. Radon mitigation installers must be licensed by the state of Indiana. The Indiana State Department of Health keeps a list of licensed mitigators.
Thank you,
Jennifer J. Heller, Brown County health department
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