One in Every Five Connecticut Homes Has Radon

Every single home in Connecticut should be tested for radon, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Elevated levels of radon exposure can cause lung cancer, even in people who have never smoked.

“Radon is present at elevated levels in about one out of every five homes in Connecticut,” Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin said in a statement released earlier this month. “However, because you can’t see or smell radon, people often are unaware that there might be a silent killer in their homes.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are 21,000 lung cancer deaths from radon exposure a year, a figure that is higher than drunk driving deaths (13,470) and deaths from falls (11,600). And according to the American Cancer Society, 75 to 80 percent of radon-related cancer cases are attributed to environmental factors versus hereditary factors.

Stealthy threat

“It is difficult to determine which homes will have elevated radon levels," William Gerrish, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Public Health, told Patch. “That is why all homes should be tested: condominiums, new construction, old homes, energy-efficient homes, homes with basements, homes built on slab formations, etc. It is possible for one home to have elevated levels while the home next door or across the street does not.”

Poorly ventilated basements above high radon-emitting soil are common culprits. Radon enters homes through cracks and gaps in the foundation and other openings.

“All homes and condos should be tested for radon in the basement or on the first floor,” Gerrish said. "If the occupants of the home spend more than three hours per day in the basement or if they are planning a renovation and will be there more often in the near future, then the test device should be placed in the basement. Otherwise, the test device should be placed on the first floor."

The best time to test a home for radon is from November to March. If homes were tested in the spring or summer, they should be retested, according to Gerrish.

What you can do

Last week, the Norwalk Health Department started handing out home testing kits to city residents at the department's offices on East Avenue. Each testing kit includes a small device that a homeowner keeps in the house for 48 hours. The device is then sent to the DPH for lab results to determine if the levels are higher or equal to 4 pCi/L.

The city Health Department is located at 137 East Ave. Radon test kits can be purchased for $12 from the American Lung Association of New England (1-800-LUNG-USA or 860-289-5401). Homes that have high levels should get repairs by a radon mitigation contractor. 

Changes that are made to homes to lower indoor radon levels include sealing cracks in floors and walls or changing the airflow in a building. Mitigation can reduce radon by up to 99 percent, according to the EPA. Qualified professionals are listed at the Department of Public Health website.

And for a free copy of the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction," click here.