The Raid on Radon
Free test kits available

By Scott Nicholson

It’s “Radon Action Month,” and the local health department and N.C. Division of Environmental Health are encouraging people to learn more about radon exposure and its health effects.

“Radon is naturally occurring. In our area, you have a lot of people who build basements and dwellings directly on bedrock, which makes them more susceptible to radon,” said Appalachian District Health Department director Danny Staley.

Though the health department doesn’t conduct tests, it educates people about the possible dangers of radon exposure. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas emitted by the Earth.

“Our role basically as an agency is to educate the community about radon and its health risks, and how to test for it,” Staley said. “It’s an environmental hazard.”

Watauga’s radon-level rate is more than twice the risk level determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, though it’s difficult to make direct correlations to a “safe level” of exposure. However, those who smoke and also are exposed to unsafe levels of radon are much more likely to develop lung cancer, according to federal data.

Radon is dispersed in outdoor air, but can reach harmful levels when trapped in buildings. Staley said basements should be well ventilated, with testing done in any area where there is a concern. Radon tests are often required as part of a home loan.

Nearly 7 percent of homes in North Carolina have elevated levels of radon, and about 21,000 U.S. lung-cancer deaths each year are attributed to radon-related lung cancer, the EPA says.

The state’s Radon Program is offering free test kits throughout January to enable homeowners to test their homes for elevated levels of radon. People involved in real estate transactions are encouraged to use certified testing professionals to test their homes. To receive a free test kit or find a list of certified professionals, visit www.ncradon.org.

The Boone area has five certified radon testers listed on the Radon Program site, four of whom also able to do mitigation work if needed.

Although supplies are limited for the free test kits from the N.C. Radon Program, they can be purchased at local hardware and home improvement stores, directly from radon testing companies or through Internet test kit distributors for $25 or less.

For more information about radon or to request a test kit, call Felix Fong, senior environmental radiation specialist, at (919) 571-4141, or Catherine Rosfjord, radon coordinator in western North Carolina, at (828) 274-1717.