KHQA is committed to keeping you and your family safe and healthy.
You've heard us report on several stories during the past 2 1/2 years about the dangers of radon.
It's a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that comes from the ground and can seep inside your home.
It's the second-leading cause of lung cancer overall, and the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency, or IEMA, has released a report with some some alarming results for our area.
Out of all of the homes that have tested for radon, either professionally or through self-test kits, 50 percent or more of the homes in Adams and Morgan Counties had elevated levels.
Twenty-five to 50 percent of the homes tested for radon in McDonough County also had high levels.
There were too few tests conducted in the remaining area counties...meaning the state wasn't able to conclude anything about them.
KHQA's Rajah Maples talked with a professional radon tester about what those numbers mean for you and your family's health.
That report that came out from IEMA, was that any surprise to you?
Licensed radon inspector David Miller said, "No, not at all. It's been my experience from testing over the years that it's been that high or near that number. 40 to 50 percent of the tests I do will be elevated. Every house I test has radon. I've never had a house I tested that had no radon levels.//In the state's test results, they're pretty close to my same results.
Miller, from Jacksonville, tests radon levels throughout West Central Illinois. He says many of the homes he's tested over the years have exceeded the 4.0 action level deemed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"he EPA, based on research and medical data, has drawn a line saying that 4.0 is what it considers the action level," he said. 3.9 is not necessarily safe, but based on medical standards....if you can keep your environment below 4, you've got a reasonable safety factor."
The state report gathered results from both professional tests and these self-test kits, many of which were handed out by the State of Illinois for free. Miller says he tested one area woman's house that had a radon level of 100 picocuries per liter of air---25 times the EPA's recommended action level.
Miller said, "There was a neighbor adjacent to that house that had a level that was less than 4. We double tested it, because we couldn't believe it was right next door to a house that had 100, and this house was below 4, but that's how sporadic and spotty it is throughout the state."
Even though it's hard to tell which houses will have high radon levels and which ones won't, there are some factors that increase that probability.
Miller says houses with basements have a higher potential of having elevated radon levels than a house on a crawl space or concrete slab.
"A house that's on a crawl space will have the least potential. because not only does it have to come out of the ground under the house, but then it has to find another entry point into the house," Miller said. "A house built on a concrete slab is kind of in between. it's direct contact, but it doesn't have as much exposure as a basement would be."
Professional inspections are required for real estate transactions and can range anywhere from $150 to $200.
But the Illinois Emergency Management Agency provides free self-test kits to residents. Because of high publicity in lieu of Radon Action Month this month, the state has run out of the 10-thousand kits it planned to distribute. But you can buy them at any home improvement store for anywhere from $10 to $20. No matter where you get them, Miller says be aware that some of the kits *may* be faulty.
Miller said, "When I use that similar type test device, I will put two of them, to assure better quality, side by side. That way I know that if both of them come back with a similar result, then it's an accurate test, and I don't have a possible faulty test kit. So if you use one and you get an elevated level, it's good to get another one as soon as possible, or better yet, 2 duplicates and retest to verify what your first test was before you make any decisions as to doing mitigation or not."
The Environmental Protection Agency has set 4.0 picocuries per liter of air as the "action level." If you find levels of 4.0 or higher, the EPA recommends what's called, mitigating your home. That's basically a vent-type, piping system that sucks the radon out of your home. But you might want to test your home for radon more than once, especially since mitigation can cost you anywhere from $600 to $1200 dollars.
Miller said, "Radon levels fluctuate. Not only do they fluctuate hourly, but they fluctuate seasonally. Weather changes can affect the amount of radon that's drawn into the house. So doing a test one time in one particular season doesn't mean your house has a low potential.
Miller says high radon levels usually come in during the winter months, when homes are usually air-tight.
Weatherizing your home might be good for your energy bill, but doing so makes it even more important for you to test your home.
Miller has one story of one man weatherizing his home during a 6-year period, which caused his radon levels to increase from 2 or 3 the first year to 8 or 10 six years later.
Miller said, "Probably just doing the normal weatherization, making the house a little more air-tight might have caused or created a situation where now the radon is more trapped. you have a tighter house to where you'll have a greater potential to trap the radon and create an elevated level in the house."
Regardless of cost, mitigating your house can mean the difference between life and death.
In fact, Miller has several unfortunate stories of testing people's homes after a family member had died from lung cancer.
If you'd like to learn more about radon levels in your area, log on to www.epa.gov/radon/.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKHQA