It's easy to ignore something you can't see, feel, or smell. But the risk of ignoring radon gas can be deadly. It is to some 1,000 Minnesotans each and every year.
That is how many people in the state die of lung cancer caused by radon, according to the U.S. surgeon general. You don't have to be a smoker to get it. High levels of radon in your home do the same damage to the lungs as if everyone in your home smoked a dozen or more cigarettes a day.
The facts about radon's danger are not in dispute in the scientific or medical communities. The dangers from the naturally occurring radioactive gas has been well documented for a long time.
That's why it's frustrating that Minnesota is lagging in knowledge and regulation. It's time for building and realty groups and the state to set guidelines about radon like most other states do. It's also time for homeowners to takes steps to protect themselves and their families.
Radon is naturally in the ground and can seep up into your home. Because of its geology, Minnesota is one of the worst places in the country for radon and the Mankato area is among the worst areas in Minnesota.
Those facts should lead everyone to test their homes. It can be done cheaply and easily. You can buy a radon test kits for a few bucks at home improvement stores. Or, people can call the Minnesota State University Radon Hotline at 389-1977, to get a kit for a requested small donation.
It doesn't matter if your home is just built or a century old, nor does it matter what the readings are in houses right next to you - whether or not you have a radon problem depends on the geology under your home.
In the case of radon, knowledge can save lives. That's why there should be rules requiring that every home sold in Minnesota has had a radon test done on it. High radon levels can be fixed relatively easy, with the cost to mitigate an existing home at $1,200 to $2,000.
That cost is much less when radon venting systems are integrated into the construction of new homes - $300 to $600. That's why builders should be required to build radon resistant homes in most areas of the state.
So far, many construction and real estate trade groups in Minnesota have resisted, but many know it's the right thing to do. The president of the Realtors group in this area said he knows routine testing should be done prior to all home sales and some builders are starting to add in radon venting systems.
No one wants to needlessly add more regulation to businesses, but it is called for when a significant health threat can be eliminated with relatively ease.
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