Radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers nationwide, and it might be in your home in Milwaukee and around the state.
According to national health officials and readings in the Milwaukee suburbs, 33% of homes have radon levels above 4 pCi/L, (picocuries per liter) or more, which is considered the ‘danger zone.’
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends corrections if the radon levels register above 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter.) But there is no known safe level of exposure to radon.
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Radon is a chemically inert radioactive gas that is a naturally occurring element. It’s odorless, colorless and tasteless, and it percolates up from the ground into homes, daycare centers, schools and many other buildings.
The levels of radon present in those spaces depends on the composition of the soil beneath the structure. In Wisconsin we have a general soil content that is high in uranium. Over time, uranium decays off-gasses into radon, which rises through cracks in sub basements and can build to dangerous levels.
January is National Radon Action month. Visit the American Lung Association’s website to learn more.
Overall, Wisconsin has an estimated mean radon level of 5.7 pCi/L. Molly Collins is the advocacy director with the American Lung Association and said the awareness of the problems radon is causing is increasing, but it still has not permeated the public consciousness the way the Lung Association would like to see.
The EPA says radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, with roughly 2,900 of those deaths occurring among people who have never smoked.
Jeremy Clausing of Lifetime Radon Solutions in Milwaukee said Wisconsin has some of the largest radon concentrations in the country.
“The gas attaches to dust particles which we breathe into our lungs,” Clausing said. “The particles release alpha rays of radiation which damage cells, lung tissue and DNA, creating the risk for lung cancer.”
During the housing boom around the country the past few years, home buyers have increased the possibility of moving into a home with high and dangerous levels of radon. Many are waiving home inspections, which in turn means the homes are not being tested for radon. A home inspector would have tested to see if a mitigation system was necessary.
Wisconsin does not require the party selling a home to take any corrective action if the home tests high for radon. However, the seller is legally obligated to disclose the results of their radon test to any potential buyers.
“People often first learn about radon after they receive life changing news, and by then it’s too late,” Clausing said. “A lot of what is known about uranium’s link to lung cancer comes from studies focused on uranium miners in Germany.”
The only way you’ll know your radon level is to have a specialized test. Clausing says it should cost you $125 for a reliable at-home testing kit.
“If you smell something like rotten eggs, people could be smelling natural gas. Radon is odorless so out of sight out of mind, making it trickier to detect,” Clausing said.
Radon mitigation systems can cost anywhere from $700 to $4,000, but the average homeowner will pay around $1,000. Depending on the method, price of materials and labor in your area are all factors in how much a radon mitigation system will cost.
Inspectors say you should monitor and test every couple of years, even if you already have an abatement system. Any changes in conditions of a house, like installing new windows, can cause levels to rise. The ‘sealing’ of the house traps gasses in the home. If there is any type of construction nearby, such as digging for a basement, this could also agitate the ground and cause levels to increase.
The DNR has a ‘heat map,’ indicating the hottest locations for radon concentrations. It’s more than likely that if your neighbors needed abatement, you probably need it as well.
There’s a common misconception that new construction homes would register lower in radon levels. The opposite is true. A neighbor with an old farmhouse that’s drafty and has bad insulation, will trap less of the gas. The newly built homes use a spray foam for insulation and seal the windows. This is ideal for radon to concentrate.
“Why not test? It’s still cheaper than replacing a water heater,” Clausing said. “You and your family are most likely to get your greatest radiation exposure at home. That is where you spend most of your time.”
Wisconsin is heading toward making testing mandatory. Since March 2023, all licensed Wisconsin daycare facilities had to test for radon by September 2024. If there were elevated levels they would have to mitigate.
Radon has a greater impact on younger people because of smaller lungs, and it affects people relative to their body mass. If you have family members sleeping in the basement, their exposure to radon will be higher as they are closer to the source.
High levels of radon have been found in schools across the country. A nationwide survey of radon levels in schools estimates that nearly one in five has at least one schoolroom with a short-term radon level above the action level of 4 pCi/L. EPA estimates that more than 70,000 schoolrooms in use today have high short-term radon levels.
According to Collins, the Lung Association consults with public officials to increase awareness.
Collins said there is a current bill pending in the Wisconsin legislature, Senate Bill 434, which encourages air quality testing but does not provide any resources for the schools or health departments to provide that testing, or to mitigate any problems that are found. The Lung Association is not registered in favor of the bill.
Wisconsin state assemblyman Shae Sortwell, in Two Rivers, is the legislator who introduced Senate Bill 434. “I was approached by a constituent concerned about air quality in general in schools, including radon. It went to a hearing but hasn’t passed as of yet,” Sortwell said.
Five states – Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, and Ohio – impose criminal and civil penalties for misrepresenting radon readings. Wisconsin does not.
“I’m hopeful and we’ll keep plugging away,” Collins said.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the nature of Senate Bill 434.
