Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has declared January “Radon Action Month” to spread awareness about radon gas.
Utah has a unique radon gas risk, according to a news release from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
An estimate published by the Utah Safety Council says approximately one in 15 homes has elevated radon levels nationwide. In Utah, approximately one in three homes has elevated levels.
In Tooele County, West Elementary had a problem with radon gas several years ago. Tooele County School District installed vents to maintain good airflow and keep the gas from gathering in the school, said Nancy Poulson, the school’s principal.
“We’re fine now,” she said. “We don’t have any problems — we are well within the guidelines.”
The Cancer Learning Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute explains, “Radon is a radioactive gas that you can’t see, taste, or smell. Inhaling it over time may cause lung cancer.”
According to the DEQ, radon comes from uranium-bearing granite deposits in the soil. As soil gases, including radon, move to the atmosphere, they can be drawn into homes because a house is usually warmer than the surrounding soil, meaning the air pressure is less.
Radon usually enters a house through spaces between basement walls, cracks in foundations, or wall openings around sump pumps and drains, construction joints, crawl spaces showers, and well water with high radon concentrations. A house could have elevated radon levels regardless of its age.
“During cold winters, radon is an even bigger concern since gas levels can silently skyrocket in well-sealed homes,” the DEQ’s news release reads in part.
The only way to know if a house has elevated radon levels is by testing it. Do-it-yourself tests are available online at radon.utah.gov and at hardware stores or retail outlets. The test should be marked “Meets EPA Requirements,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Short-term tests start at $7.95 and take about 60 hours to perform. The house is sealed for 12 hours, after which the test instrument is opened and left in place for at least 48 hours.
Long-term tests start at $24.95 and take more than three months to complete, and take place with the house in “normal living mode.”
“Long-term test results give a more representative picture of the true radon levels in the home over time, as fluctuations due to changes in ambient temperature and barometric pressure are detected and factored into the final valuation,” the DEQ states on its website.
According to the EPA, radon levels require action when they are higher than 4 picoCuries of radon per liter of air.
If the test results show a home is unsafe, homeowners can visit radon.utah.gov to find an EPA-certified mitigator.
In addition, because radon levels can change over time, the DEQ recommends retesting a home every few years.