Expert: Many homes in Butler County have elevated radon levels
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — In the three years Jamie Mossman has been installing radon mitigation systems, most of the homes he tested have had elevated levels of the odorless radioactive gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
The owner and operator of Jamie Something Radon Mitigation of Chicora, Mossman said the demand for testing and mitigation is growing.
“Very few of the homes I’ve tested don’t come back with elevated levels,” Mossman said after replacing the exhaust fan in a mitigation system he installed at a home in Renfrew.
Though he’s not a state certified tester, he uses test kits anyone can buy at home improvement and hardware stores to check for radon. His company is on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s list of certified mitigation contractors.
The DEP is calling January “Radon Action Month” to encourage residents to have their homes tested and to call attention to the health risks from radon.
“Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Homeowners concerned with reducing their risk of lung cancer should test their home for radon,” said Tom Decker, spokesman for the DEP’s regional office in Crawford County.
Mossman — who left the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry three years ago to start his business — said half his work comes as a result of inspections homebuyers request when they buy a house. The other half comes from homeowners who suspect they have radon or detected it through home testing kits.
“It keeps me busy pretty much full time,” Mossman said.
He said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends mitigation when radon levels exceed 4 units per liter of air, but it is up to homeowners to decide what level they are willing to live with.
“There is no recognized safe level of radon in your house, so it’s about your acceptable level of risk. Some want zero. Some have tests that show 7 and they do nothing,” Mossman said.
Mitigation systems are not complicated, but radon and how it enters homes are often misunderstood, he said.
Radon comes from decaying radioactive material below soil. As it decays, negative pressure in basements pull it inside through gaps and cracks in foundations. Negative pressure is created by heat rising through a home and tends to be higher during winter months, he said.
Mossman said he customizes mitigation systems to fit and address the needs of each home, but they have the same basic components and usually take a full day to install.
He begins by sealing cracks and gaps in a basement with polyurethane caulking. Next, he drills a 3- to 4-inch hole through the concrete basement floor and another hole in the basement wall.
After excavating a suction pit under the house through the hole in the floor, a plastic pipe is placed in the hole and sealed in place. Another section of pipe is connected and inserted through the hole in the wall to the exterior of the house and sealed. An exhaust fan is connected to the exterior part of the pipe before the pipe is extended to the roof.
The fan, which is active 24 hours a day, draws air from the pit creating stronger negative pressure than the house produces and discharges it.
“The system draws stronger negative pressure below the concrete than what the house is pulling from above it. The fan creates negative pressure from the pit — it creates a vacuum — and discharges it outside,” Mossman said.
Homeowners using home radon detection kits should place the detector in the lowest floor of the home for the amount of time recommended in the directions, which usually is two to seven days, he said.
The detector is then sent to one of the certified labs listed in the DEP’s online radon service directory, where certified testers and mitigation contractors also are listed.
The DEP encourages residents to call its radon division at 717-783-3594 or the radon hotline at 800-237-2366 for help interpreting test results and determining what follow-up action may be necessary.
Radon is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year in the U.S., according to the EPA. About 40% of Pennsylvania homes have radon levels above the EPA action level of 4.0 picocuries per liter.
Pennsylvania’s geology is the source of radon and all homes, schools and public and private buildings should be tested, according to the DEP. The best time to test is during the colder months, when homes and buildings are closed, and radon is most likely to be trapped.
