Added to the seemingly never ending list of inspections that need to be done when buying a home, radon testing is becoming routine in Portland. You can't tell just by looking or smelling if radon is in any given home because it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is formed during the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. The radioactive gas can seep into your home through cracks and holes in the foundation, and it can contaminate well water.
Radon gas has been determined by health officials to be a carcinogen that can cause lung cancer. Studies show that radon is more of a risk to smokers, but nonsmokers have a slightly elevated chance of developing lung cancer when radon levels in the home are high. The worst case scenario would be to have a smoker living in a home with high levels of radon.
The EPA recommends mitigation if levels are found to be higher than 4 pCi/L. I just heard of a house with a super high level of 14 pCi/L; mitigation is very necessary! Mitigation in existing homes can consist of several methods, used individually or alone. The most common is Soil Suction, which sucks radon gas from beneath the home, even under a basement, and vents it above the roof line. Mitigation needs to be performed by contractors who are qualified to do so, and can cost $1000-$3000.
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