Radon is a carcinogenic gas that is hazardous to inhale. Build-up of radon in homes is a health concern and many lung cancer cases are attributed to radon exposure each year. About 12% of lung cancers and more than 20,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer each year. The Surgeon General of the United States has issued a Health Advisory warning Americans about the health risk from exposure to radon in indoor air.  Dr. Carmona, the Nation's Chief Physician urged Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing.  He also stressed the need to remedy the problem as soon as possible.

You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. But it still may be a problem in your home.  When you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer.  In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.  If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Testing is the only way to find out your home's radon levels. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. If you find that you have high radon levels, there are ways to fix a radon problem. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels. Radon has been found in homes all over the United States. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Radon can also enter your home through well water.  Your home can trap radon inside.

Any home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. In fact, you and your family are most likely to get your greatest radiation exposure at home. That is where you spend most of your time. Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have an elevated radon level. Elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in your state.

EPA's Radon Testing Check List:

• Notify the occupants of the importance of proper testing conditions. Give the occupants written instructions or a copy of this Guide and explain the directions carefully.

• Conduct the radon test for a minimum of 48 hours; some test devices have a minimum exposure time greater than 48 hours.

• When doing a short-term test ranging from 2-4 days, it is important to maintain closed-house conditions for at least 12 hours before the beginning of the test and during the entire test period.

• When doing a short-term test ranging from 4-7 days, EPA recommends that closed-house conditions be maintained.

• If you hire someone to do the test, hire only a qualified individual.

• The test should include method(s) to prevent or detect interference with testing conditions or with the testing device itself.

• If the house has an active radon-reduction system, make sure the vent fan is operating properly.  If the fan is not operating properly, have it (or ask to have it) repaired and then test.

If your home has not yet been tested for Radon have a test taken as soon as possible. If you can, test your home before putting it on the market.  You should test in the lowest level of the home which is suitable for occupancy. This means testing in the lowest level that you currently live in or a lower level not currently used, but which a buyer could use for living space without renovations. 

The radon test result is important information about your home's radon level.  If you do the test yourself, you should carefully follow the testing protocol for your area or EPA's Radon Testing Checklist.  If you hire a contractor to test your residence, protect yourself by hiring a qualified individual or company.

If you are thinking of selling your home and you have already tested your home for radon,  review the Radon Testing Checklist to make sure that the test was done correctly.  If so, provide your test results to the buyer.

No matter what kind of test you took, a potential buyer may ask for a new test especially if:

• The Radon Testing Checklist items were not met;
• The last test is not recent, e.g., within two years;
• You have renovated or altered your home since you tested; or
• The buyer plans to live in a lower level of the house than was tested, such as a basement suitable for occupancy but not currently lived in.

A buyer may also ask for a new test if your state or local government requires disclosure of radon information to buyers.

 Radon In Idaho

Homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in Idaho in all three zones.All homes should be tested regardless of their geographic location. Important points to note: 

• All homes should test for radon, regardless of their geographic location or zone 

• There are many thousands of individual homes with elevated radon levels in Zones 2 and 3.  Elevated levels can be found in Zone 2 and Zone 3 counties.

   

• All users of this map should carefully review the map documentation for information on within-county variations in radon potential and supplement the map with locally available information before making any decisions.

   

• The map is not to be used in lieu of testing during real estate transactions.

The Map was developed (by the EPA) using 5 factors to determine radon potential: indoor radon measurements; soil permeability; geology; foundation type; and aerial radioactivity. Radon potential assessment is based upon known geologic provinces. Geologic Provinces were adapted to county boundaries for the Map of Radon Zones.

Sections 307 and 309 of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 (IRAA) directed the EPA to list and identify areas of the U.S. that have the potential for elevated indoor radon levels.  Thie EPA's Map of Radon Zones assigns each of the 3,141 counties in the U.S. to one ofthree zones based on radon their individual potential:

Radon gas decays naturally into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe.  As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and can lead to lung cancer at some time during the course of your lifetime.  Not everyone who is exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount oftime between the actual exposure and the onset of the disease may infact be many years.

Just like many other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertaintyabout the magnitude of the health risk posed by Radon. However, we do know more about the risks from Radon than we do about risks from most other cancer-causing substances. This is because our estimates of cancer risks from Radon are actually based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners) rather than merely laboratory controls such as mice etc.

Smoking tobacco, when combined with Radon is an especially serious health risk. Stop smoking and you will immediately lower your lung cancer risk from Radon exposure.

Children have been reported to have greater risk than adults of certain types of cancer from radiation, but there are currently no conclusive data on whether children are at greater risk than adults from Radon.

Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:

• How much radon is in your home

• The amount of time you spend in your home

• Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked

Radon Risk If You Smoke:

Radon Risk If You've Never Smoked:

Radon Myths and Facts