East Tennessee is a ?hot spot? for radon because it?s naturally occurring here due to a higher content of uranium in the soil, says Donald A. Ward, Grainger County?s UT extension agent for Adult & Family Consumer Services. Tennessee as a whole has been found to have a 10% higher instance of single-family homes affected by radon than the national average (6%). In some areas, the rate is as high as 50%.

What is it? Radon is a toxic, invisible, colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that occurs from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil.

Where is it? Concentrations may be located in areas where limestone has experienced soil erosion, but the uranium is everywhere in East Tennessee to some degree. Radon can occur in both new and old homes, without discrimination. The only difference is, some new homes are constructed specifically with radon in mind and so they may come with a basement ventilation system already that removes the risk or accommodations for it in the event that the area tests positive for radon. Older homes and even homes built on concrete can be still be modified with a ventilation system. According to Ward, ventilating is all you can do for your home to solve the problem. Once you get your home tested and find out for sure you have a radon problem, you should immediately take steps to reduce yours and your family?s exposure to the poisonous gas.

Why is it dangerous? According to the EPA, radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer not caused by smoking but does not cause symptoms such as coughing, headaches, shortness of breath, or fever. You can get it just by sitting around your home if your home has radon gas.

Every year radon causes more deaths by lung cancer than deaths attributed to traffic accidents. It?s considered a ?Type A? carcinogen and if a person has been exposed to radon and has had a history of smoking, even at one time, their risk of lung cancer is dramatically increased. People with autoimmune system dysfunction, children, and the elderly also have a higher risk illness from radon poisoning.

Awareness of the dangers of radon is on the rise according to a recent study by the EPA, however, if more people at risk were aware of the possible danger that lurks in their own home, even more lives could be saved. The sudden death of actor, Christopher Reeves? wife, Dana Reeves, raised a lot of red flags about radon. Reeves contracted lung cancer without a history of illness or smoking.

?People often say, ?I been alright living here all this time and never got sick so I guess I?ll be alright?, but they don?t realize, you don?t get sick until you do and then it may be too late,? said Ward. ?It?s currently estimated that the average American will receive over half (55%) of their lifetime radioactive exposure from radon. Other sources of radioactivity include man-made devices such as X-rays and naturally occurring sources in the environment.?

Why is radon a problem now? The uranium source of radon was already in the soil long before people ever settled in the area but has become more of a problem due to more people sealing up their homes in the winter for better energy efficiency. Radon only becomes a danger to living things when it occurs in areas that are enclosed and people breathe it in regularly. This is why people get the highest exposure to the gas during the winter months when their homes are closed up. This is also why winter is the perfect time to raise awareness about radon so that people will go out and buy the test kits and test their homes while they?re still all closed up for a while longer. In the spring, when people start opening the doors and windows, radon tests are nowhere near as accurate. Radon tests must be left alone to sample ?dead air? for several days and then the test is sent off to a laboratory.

How do I test for radon? Ward says UT extension agents can get residents a cut-rate radon test-kit for half the price of elsewhere if you give him a call, he?ll order you a fresh one (take note of their expiration dates). Elsewhere in Grainger County, Rutledge Hardware carries the kits for $16.00 and major home-improvement stores such as Lowe?s, Home Depot, etc. carry them as well for around that price.

According to Ward, if your home tests positive for radon at a level of 4 pCi/L or more, you have a radon problem. Below are a few options for installing ventilation under your house ranked as the most costly option first:

1. Hire a certified radon mitigator, which is someone specially trained to install a ventilation system.

2. Hire both a licensed electrician to install both the wiring and the ventilation system.

3. If you don?t have the required wiring, hire a licensed electrician to install the wiring and then install the ventilation system yourself.

4. If you have wiring under your house necessary for installation, are handy and want to save some money, do-it-yourself.

To find a radon mitigator or become certified as one, visit www.radongas.org for more information or contact your local UT extension agent: www.utextension.utk.edu/offices/default.asp

More information on radon in East Tennessee can be found at the Tennessee State website www.state.tn.us/environment/apc/radon , and the EPA?s website for Indoor Air Quality www.epa.gov/iaq .