Testing your home
It’ s relatively cheap and easy to test a home’ s radon level. Test kits cost anywhere from about $ 10 to $ 30. A person places the test in the lowest living area of their home, waits three days, then mails the test back to the lab and waits for the results.
In Oregon, people living in certain ZIP codes qualify for free radon test kits through OHA’ s Radon Awareness Program, while supplies last. For more information, visit this webpage, call 971- 673-0442, or email radon. program @ oha. oregon. gov.
If your ZIP code doesn’ t qualify for a free test, consider these options for testing your home for radon:
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Nonprofit Home Inspections offers free radon tests to people with lowmoderate income levels anywhere in Oregon. American Lung Association sells radon test kits ranging from $ 18 to $ 30. The price of kits includes shipping and lab analysis. Most local hardware stores sell radon test kits ranging from $ 15 to $ 25. Radon test kits can also be ordered from online retailers such as Amazon at competitive prices. You can hire a local qualified radon testing professional to do the testing for you. Find a list of Certified Radon Measurement companies in Oregon here.
Radon mitigation system
in Clare Lewis’ s basement
According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, if your home’ s radon level is 4 pCi / L( picocuries per liter of air) or above, it’ s time to take action to lower it. Truth is, there is no safe level of radon exposure, but the lower the better. Homeowners with elevated radon levels can contact a Certified Radon Mitigation company to reduce radon levels. Testing showed the radon in Lewis’ home was 7 pCi / L.
Lowering radon levels involves installing a radon mitigation system, which typically costs around $ 2,000. In a nutshell, a pipe is inserted through the basement floor( or under a vapor barrier in a crawl space) and draws the radon gas up through the pipe using a fan. The gas is then safely vented and released outside up above the roofline.