Indoor Air Quality

Radon

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers.

Testing

Radon can be a problem in all types of homes, including old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements and homes without basements. Local geology, construction materials, and how the home was built are among the factors that can affect radon levels in homes. In Dubuque County, 41% of the homes tested are above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L. Radon gas seeps into a house from the soil around and under the home; through cracks in the foundation, floor or walls; through hollow-block walls; and through openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps. Test kits are simple to use and inexpensive. You can purchase radon test kits at most hardware stores or purchase one from the American Lung Association’s website.

If you are interested in having the radon levels in your home tested by a professional, view a list of radon measurement specialist in Iowa. If you need to hire a specialist to mitigate radon in your home, view a list of radon mitigation specialist within.