How to Test for Radon - 
By Marshall Loeb

RISMEDIA, Sept. 2, 2008-(MCT)-Radon is a serious problem. After smoking, it’s the No. 1 cause of lung cancer. The good news is you can detect radon in your home and remove it with relative ease.

From Consumer Reports, here are some steps to making your home radon-free:

- Measurement. The first thing to know is that radon is measured in picocuries per liter (PCi/L). The national average indoor level is 1.3. Anything above 2, the EPA suggests remediation. Above 4 is the recommended level to take action.

- Figure out your risk. While most states have areas that are higher risk than others, radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to determine radon levels in your house, for sure, is to test.

- Luckily, radon test kits are fairly accurate and not that expensive. Go with a long-term kit for better accuracy. These kits take sampling levels for 90 days or more and will give you a better reading on average radon levels than a short-term kit. A long-term kit costs about $40. If you do need faster results, one accurate short-term kit to use is the RTCA charcoal canister. It costs $20. But its results should still be confirmed with a long-term kit just to be on the safe side.

- If you discover radon, call in the pros. A radon-removal kit can cut levels to below 2 PCi/L. They run from $800 up to $2,500. For an average house, the cost is about $1,200. Check with the EPA to find a trained pro in your area at www.epa.gov/radon.

Radon Risk Map (Portland Metro Area)

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