Radon, an odorless and colorless radioactive gas, kills nearly two Oregonians each day and is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Fortunately, most radon deaths are preventable.

When buildings are under negative pressure, radon gas can be drawn inside from radium-containing soil and rocks beneath them. Any house or commercial building—new or old, drafty or tight, with or without a basement—can have dangerous radon levels; testing is the only way to know if radon is a concern. In fact, the surgeon general and the American Lung Association recommend that every home be tested for radon.

Radon levels in buildings fluctuate for many reasons, including wind, barometric pressure changes and HVAC operation. Therefore, radon is measured over time. Short-term radon tests are conducted for at least two days, and long-term tests are conducted for at least 91 days.

Radon testing is easy and inexpensive. You can hire a professional or do it yourself. Do-it-yourself test kits are available at home improvement stores and online and cost under $20.

The good news is that buildings with high radon levels can be fixed. Radon mitigation is usually accomplished by intercepting radon before it enters buildings in a process called active soil depressurization (ASDS). ASDS is accomplished by creating a vacuum under the building using piping and an inline fan. Radon is routed through the piping and fan before it enters the building and is discharged outside. Most homes can be mitigated for as little as $2,000.

Do-it-yourself test kits are available online from the American Lung Association: https://action.lung.org/site/Ecommerce?store_id=34304

For more radon information: https://www.epa.gov/radon. Join our free virtual training on January 27: Register here