Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and several federal agencies revealed a new initiative this month aimed at making homes healthier for residents. A large part of that initiative is aimed at reducing the levels of radon gas in multifamily housing units. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is estimated to cause as many as 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year in the United States. Certain areas of the country have greater levels of radon in the soil due to the amount of uranium in fault lines and fissures in bedrock.
Advancing Healthy Housing - A Strategy for Action, was developed by the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the EPA, HUD, the Surgeon General and the Deputy Secretary of Energy. This new initiative states that all multifamily housing developments that receive HUD financing or refinancing will be required to do radon testing as well as remediation if testing indicates there are high levels of radon. Federal agencies believe that improving housing can have a big impact on the health of residents. Thirty million or more U.S. homes and apartments have physical problems and/or elevated levels of lead and radon, as well as other health hazards. These conditions are associated with a wide range of health issues, including unintentional injuries, respiratory illnesses like asthma and radon-induced lung cancer, lead poisoning. Poor living conditions may also result in lost school days for children, as well as lost productivity in the labor force.
The new strategy encourages federal agencies and state and local governments, non-profit organizations and the private sector to take action to reduce the number of U.S. homes with residential health and safety hazards.
This initiative from HUD and the EPA will prevent millions of people living in multifamily housing from being exposed to radon gas with five goals:
- Establish healthy homes recommendations.
- Encourage adoption of healthy homes recommendations.
- Create and support training and workforce development to address health hazards in housing.
- Educate the public about healthy homes.
- Support research that informs and advances healthy housing in a cost-effective manner.
Radon can filter undetected into homes in a variety of ways. Water sump pump holes and drainage systems can be open doorways for the gas. Radon can also seep in through cracks in your flooring, around chimneys, gaps and holes around plumbing pipes, as well as through the air ducts of forced heating systems. Deep water wells can also draw radon-contaminated water into your home.
If you suspect radon in your home, contact a certified radon inspection specialist to schedule a radon test. During this visit, the expert will make sure you're informed of the required living conditions for accurate testing. If you already have a radon mitigation system installed and it’s over 5 years old, it’s recommended that you have your system inspected. This will ensure that you and your loved ones are protected from radon exposure. The EPA recommends that all homes with a radon mitigation system be tested every two years.
If you believe that radon gas is intruding your home, it's time to take action against it. Thrasher Basement Systems can help you, by providing radon testing in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. We will also provide you with a free radon mitigation system estimate. Thrasher Basement Systems can provide you with a test kit and the results should be available in as little as a week. If radon levels in your home are above the EPA’s recommended safe level, we can customize a radon mitigation system for your home. We work with each homeowner to effectively return your home’s radon levels to a safe level.