The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates January as "National Radon Prevention Month".Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that is naturally occurring in the earth's crust and sometimes seeps into homes through openings in foundations or walls.
It is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and the second leading cause among smokers.
In August I wrote a
blog post on the importance of testing for Radon because of a recent experience with a crazy high radon reading in a Northville MI home.
According to a proclamation signed by Governor Granholm last year, one in eight homes in Michigan (EPA's map of Michigan radon zones) have elevated levels of radon. Homes with 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher should be remediated. Consider purchasing a radon detection kit if it wasn't part of the home inspection process when you bought your home.
For more information about radon, check out these sources:
Reducing Radon Risks, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA Radon Video Discussion
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Thanks for the great post, Debra!
Most people don't know this, but as you mentioned in your posting, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is believed to be responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths per year. Accoding to the CDC, more than 600 of those are projected to occur in Michigan.
According to the EPA, one in eight Michigan homes is expected to have an elevated indoor radon level, and in some counties more than 40% of the homes are expected to have a problem. The only way to know if YOUR home has a problem is to test.
If you are a real estate professional, radon and indoor air is something you should know about. It is a serious health risk, but there are simple and inexpensive ways to test for it and fix it if necessary. Like any health risk today, it is something that more and more people know about either through a home sale or through the media.
I'm in the process of preparing a continuing education course exclusively on radon for my online continuing education school . The course will inform Michigan real estate professionals all about radon and what they need to know in order to properly advise buyers and sellers.