Number of families protected from radon improves

The number of Minnesota families taking action to reduce levels of cancer-causing radon gas in their homes has more than doubled in the two years since a new state law took effect in 2014. Health officials say the increase means fewer families will experience lung cancer and other negative health impacts of radon exposure in the years ahead.

The law that took effect Jan. 1, 2014, requires that more detailed information be provided to buyers about radon during Minnesota home sales. According to data collected by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), most of the additional radon mitigation work in homes since enactment of the law occurred as part of real estate transactions. There were 3,392 homes mitigated for radon during the first nine months of 2015. For the same period in 2014, 2,389 homes were mitigated. In comparison, 1,491 homes had radon mitigation work in 2013 and 1,067 homes had the mitigation work in 2012.

Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in Minnesota soils. It can enter into homes through cracks or openings in walls or foundations. The only way for residents to know if their home has high levels of radon is to test.

Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United States and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. More than 21,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon each year in the U.S. Fortunately, the risk can be greatly reduced by testing homes and fixing radon problems. Health officials say about two in five Minnesota homes have dangerous levels of radon gas, and every home should be tested.

The 2014 Minnesota Radon Awareness Act requires sellers to inform home buyers whether their home has been tested for radon and, if so, what the levels are and whether the home has been mitigated for radon. In addition, sellers must provide a warning statement and a two-page publication to the buyer. Radon tests can be incorporated into a home inspection. The law does not require radon testing or mitigation; only disclosure of whether testing or mitigation of the home has been done.

 “This law improves the health and safety of Minnesotans by informing home buyers about the harmful effects of radon at the point of sale,” said Dan Tranter, MDH indoor air program supervisor. “This allows potential buyers to be educated on radon and to request a radon test for a property similar to the way home inspections are arranged.”

January is National Radon Action Month and Gov. Mark Dayton has proclaimed Radon Action Month in Minnesota. During January, MDH is sponsoring radio and internet ads across Minnesota to encourage people to test their homes. In addition, MDH has partnered with local public health departments to make test kits available to local residents at low or no cost.

Testing is easy, inexpensive and only takes three to five days. Test kits are available at city and county health departments, many hardware stores, or directly from radon testing laboratories. A list of participating health agencies and test kit vendors can be found on the MDH website at Radon in Minnesota Homes.

Tests should be done in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. If your home’s level is at or above 4 piC/L (picoCuries per Liter) you should consider verification testing and having a radon mitigation system installed. You can find MDH’s list of certified radon mitigation contractors at Radon Contractors/Mitigation Service Providers.

For more information on radon testing and mitigation, visit Radon in Minnesota Homes or call the Minnesota Department of Health Indoor Air Unit at 651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050. To see how radon has affected the lives of cancer patients and their families visit CanSAR - Cancer Survivors Against Radon.

New law requiring greater radon disclosure during home sales begins in January

A new law requiring more detailed disclosure and information about radon in Minnesota homes during most residential real estate transactions will go into effect January 1, 2014, state health officials said today.

The Minnesota Radon Awareness Act requires sellers to inform buyers whether their home has been tested for radon and if so, what the levels are and whether the home has been mitigated for radon.

Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United States and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. More than 21,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon each year in the U.S.

Fortunately, the risk is largely preventable, by testing homes and fixing radon problems. About 2 in 5 Minnesota homes have dangerous levels of radon gas and state health officials say every home should be tested.

Radon is an odorless, colorless and tasteless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in Minnesota soils. It can enter into all kinds of homes through cracks or openings in walls or foundations. The only way for residents to know if their home has radon is to test.

According to the new disclosure law, sellers will need to provide three kinds of information to buyers before signing a purchase agreement to sell or transfer residential property:

A radon disclosure form that includes a.) whether a radon test has occurred; b.) records of radon concentrations; c.) a description of any radon concentrations, mitigation, or remediation; and d.) information regarding the radon mitigation system.

A radon warning statement outlining the health risks of radon, the potential for radon in Minnesota homes and recommending testing.

A two-page publication entitled "Radon in Real Estate Transactions" that provides more details on radon topics.

Considering that there are approximately 100,000 home sales per year in Minnesota, increasing radon awareness during real estate transactions has the potential to increase radon testing and mitigation of homes significantly, according to indoor air specialists at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). "This law will help improve the health and safety of Minnesotans by informing home buyers about the harmful effects of radon gas at the point of sale," said Dan Tranter, indoor air program supervisor for MDH. "This allows potential buyers to be educated on radon and to request a radon test be performed on the property in a similar manner as home inspections are requested and conducted."

Experience in others states has shown that once a buyer is aware of a radon problem, many will elect to install a radon reduction system, Tranter said. In Illinois, the rate of homes tested during real estate transactions increased 400 percent after the passage of that state's radon awareness act. Currently, about 30 percent of home sales in Illinois have a radon test conducted during the purchase process.

Radon tests can be incorporated into a home inspection. The law does not require radon testing or mitigation; only disclosure of whether testing or mitigation of the home has been done.

Testing is easy, inexpensive and only takes 3-5 days. The best time to test is during the heating seasons, but testing can be done year-round. Test kits are available at city and county health departments, many hardware stores, or directly from radon testing laboratories. A list of participating health agencies and test kit vendors can be found on the MDH website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/rncontacts.html.

Tests should be done in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. If your home's level is at or above 4 piC/L, you should consider verification testing and having a radon mitigation system installed. Anyone interested in mitigating his or her home for radon should consult MDH's list of certified radon mitigation contractors at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/mitigation.html.

January is National Radon Action Month and Gov. Mark Dayton has proclaimed it Radon Action Month in Minnesota. During the month of January, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is sponsoring radio ads in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota to encourage people to test their homes. In addition, MDH has partnered with local public health departments to make test kits available to local residents at low or no cost.

For more information on radon testing and mitigation visit http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/index.html or call the Minnesota Department of Health Indoor Air Unit at 651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050. To see how radon has affected the lives of cancer patients and their families visit www.CanSar.org.

Radon testing

Minnesota homes need to be tested for radon; winter is best time to do it

Every 25 minutes, one person in the U.S. dies from radon-related lung cancer. It is the largest environmental cancer risk and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Fortunately, the risk is largely preventable.

More than 40 percent of Minnesota homes have dangerous levels of radon gas and state health officials say every home should be tested. To emphasize the importance of radon testing, Gov. Mark Dayton has declared January "Radon Action Month" in Minnesota. Over 40 local public health agencies around the state have partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to make over 8000 radon test kits available to local residents at low or no cost. For details on how to obtain a kit, contact your local public health agency or MDH. A list of participating health agencies can be found on the MDH website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/rncontacts.html.

During the months of January and February, MDH is sponsoring a series of eye-catching ads in the skyway systems of St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth and Rochester designed to get people's attention about radon. MDH will also be sponsoring radio ads in the Twin Cities to encourage people to test their homes.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and more than 21,000 deaths are attributed to radon each year. Radon exposure, however, is a preventable health threat. Over 1,000 Minnesota homeowners every year have radon reduction systems installed in their homes, but this is a small percentage of all Minnesota homes that have elevated radon levels.

Radon is odorless, colorless and tasteless, so the only way for homeowners to know if their home has radon is to test. Testing is easy, inexpensive and only takes 3-5 days. Most test kits are priced under $20 and are available at city and county health departments, many hardware stores, or directly from radon testing laboratories.

Discounted test kits can also be purchased online at www.radon.com.

The best time to test is in the winter, but testing can be done year-round. It is especially important to test during real-estate transactions. Radon tests can be easily incorporated into a home inspection.

Tests should be done in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. Tests should not be done in laundry or utility rooms, kitchens or bathrooms. Once you have tested, further action can be taken based upon your results. If your home's level is over 4 PiC/L, you should consider verification testing and having a radon mitigation system installed. Anyone interested in mitigating his or her home for radon should consult MDH's list of certified radon mitigation contractors at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/mitigation.html.

For more information on radon testing and mitigation visit www.health.state.mn.us/radon or call the Minnesota Department of Health Indoor Air Unit at 651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050. To see how radon has affected the lives of cancer patients and their families visit www.CanSar.org.

Radon Awareness

January is radon awareness month. Radon is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. In fact, radon kills more than 20,000 Americans each year.

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Minnesota homes need to be tested for radon

Every home in Minnesota should be tested every 2-5 years for radon gas, say state health officials. Testing a home is so important that, as a way to prevent exposure to radon, which can cause lung cancer, health officials are offering a limited number of low-cost test kits to Minnesota homeowners.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has sent about 3,500 radon test kits to 30 local public health agencies around the state that have expressed interest in distributing them to homeowners in their areas. During January, which is Radon Action Month, MDH and its partners take extra measures to increase radon awareness and testing. For details on how to obtain a kit, contact your local public health agency or MDH. A list of participating health agencies can be found on the MDH website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/rncontacts.htm.

MDH has recently developed a comprehensive brochure with information on radon risks, testing and mitigation. This brochure will accompany each test kit distributed by local public health agencies. Visit http://www.health.state.mn.us/radon to download a printable version of the brochure.

MDH estimates that one in three existing Minnesota homes have radon levels that pose a large health risk over many years of exposure. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and more than 21,000 deaths are attributed to radon each year. Radon exposure, however, is a preventable health threat for many Minnesotans.

Radon is odorless, colorless and tasteless, so the only way for homeowners to know if their home has radon is to test. Testing is easy, inexpensive and only takes 3-5 days. The most difficult part is remembering to send the canister to the lab for analysis. Most test kits are priced under $20 and are available at city and county health departments, many hardware stores, or directly from radon testing laboratories.

Tests should be done in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. Tests should not be done in laundry or utility rooms, kitchens or bathrooms. Once you have tested, further action can be taken based upon your results. If your home's level is over 4 PiC/L, you should consider verification testing and having a radon mitigation system installed. Anyone interested in mitigating his or her home for radon should consult MDH's list of certified radon mitigation contractors at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/mitigation.html.

For more information on radon testing and mitigation visit http://www.health.state.mn.us/radon or call the Minnesota Department of Health Indoor Air Unit at 651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050.