Have you heard about radon?

    Radon. What is it? Should I care?
    Radon is a colorless, odorless, natural, radioactive gas that comes from the ground. It’s present throughout the world. Maine is one of those unlucky places with lots of radon, and, while outdoor levels are generally low, radon can build up to very high levels indoors. In most of Maine, one-third of homes have high radon levels, but in parts of southern Maine two thirds of the homes have high radon. High radon levels can also be found in other types of buildings and in well water.
    We care because radon causes lung cancer. We first learned this many years ago through research on miners who spent lots of time underground. Then radon was found in homes at levels as high as in mines, and we found that it can cause lung cancer in people living with high radon levels. It is now estimated that about 170 people in Maine get lung cancer each year from radon.
    How do you find out if radon levels are high in your house? You test for it.
    Anyone can test his or her own home if it’s not for sale. Radon test kits are available from any of the labs that meet Maine’s standards, found on the Maine Radiation Control Program’s Web site at www.maineradiationcontrol.org (click on the radon link and look for the list of registered air and water analysis labs). Test kits cost around $35.
    If you are selling your house, or want someone else to do the test for you, there’s also a list of registered air and water radon testers on that Web site. (Any lab or home inspector/tester that does radon testing but is not on these lists is doing radon testing illegally, and questions or concerns about inspectors/testers should go directly to the Radon Control Program at 1-800-232-0842.)
    After the test, the results tell the story. Are the results low? Great! Do another test in about five years to make sure it stays low.
    High radon levels? Don’t panic! Fixing radon problems is easy, and not too expensive. A radon removal system, called mitigation, can be installed in about half a day. It costs about $1,500 and will keep your radon levels low. A list of contractors who meet Maine requirements is also at the radon Web site: just look for the list of registered air and water mitigation contractors.
    Want to learn more about radon, have questions about the labs, testers, or contractors doing radon work? Check out that same website at www.maineradiationcontrol.org, click the radon link or call the Radon/IAQ Section at 1-800-232-0842.
    This column was submitted by Bob Stilwell, radon section leader with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Radiation Control Program.