Testing for Radon
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It is always a good time to test for radon.
Radon is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that leaks into homes. As radioactive particles in the soil beneath your home breakdown, they emit a gas also known as radon. Radon gas seeps into your home through cracks and crevices in your foundation. Breathing in radon gas can cause lung cancer. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking.
In Johnson County, the chances of your home having elevated levels of radon gas are quite high. We typically think of checking for radon gas in the winter when the house is closed up. But, summertime is an acceptable time to check the radon levels in your home, when we close up our homes to keep cool.
As long as your home is closed up for at least 3 − 5 days, you can use a do-it-yourself radon test kit to check the levels of radon in your home. It is really easy to use. Simply open the envelope and hang it in the lowest level of your home for the length of time you choose, then take it down, remove the tape on the envelope, seal it shut and pop it in the mail. (Complete instructions with video on how to take a radon test here.)
Within a week, you should get your test results. Any home that has a radon gas level at or above 4.0 picocuries/liter needs to have a mitigation system installed. Mitigation systems range from $500 for a do-it-yourself system to $2,000+ for a professional to install your system.
Johnson County Extension has radon test kits available for $15 per kit. The kits must be picked up at our office anytime Monday through Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. Our address is 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite 1500, Olathe, KS 66061. Map to our office.
For more information on radon click here or www.kansasradonprogram.org
