Hi All. Wick here. Today’s topic is silent but deadly. And yes I’M talking about radon gas.

Radon is an odorless colorless gas emitted from decomposing granite in the earth. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer in Oregon right after smoking.

Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind regarding radon:

1) Radon moves with the air. If your house has a crawl space then the radon has a good chance of being blown out through the crawl space vents. Contrary to that, if you have a basement or a concrete slab foundation then the radon seeps through the concrete and gets trapped inside the house. Trapped radon causes health issues.

2) We remodeled our basement a couple years ago. Now that we’ve sealed up the basement tighter with drywall and insulation chances are radon can be higher than normal. This is a 90 day radon test kit. Place it somewhere safe in the lowest level of your home. Perhaps near old photos of you as a kid. After 90 days send it in to the lab. They cost about $40 online.

3) If you have high radon then you need a radon mitigation system. The cost is about $2000. Call me for any company recommendations:)

4) An interesting fact is that if you have a neighbor or 2 around you who have radon systems already you benefit from their use. A few systems nearby will depressurize the ground around you thus lowering your radon levels. Cool huh?

5) Lastly it’s you NE Portlanders who have the highest radon levels in town! Don’t be alarmed – be tested:)

As always thanks for watching and give me a ring with any questions!