Date Published: 01/25/2020 [Source]
You can't smell it, taste it or see it – but radon can be a big problem in your home. According to the American Lung Association, radon is the second-biggest cause of lung cancer. But you can track it.
Sonja Sletto has a radon mitigation system in her house.
"My daughter and her husband were purchasing a house in the same area, and as part of their inspection, they had to have one done, and so my daughter said, 'Mom, you should probably get your house checked out,'" Sletto said. "So we got the little kit and did all the things and sent it in, and showed higher levels, so we went ahead and had it done."
She has safety in mind.
"I just know that it's healthier to have it, and so why wouldn't you do something that makes your environment healthier and safer?" Sletto said.
Mike Austad, owner of Dakota Radon Mitigation, LLC, says "it is not unusual" for homes in "the eastern Dakotas" as well as Minnesota "to have an elevated radon level."
"It has to be tested by lab devices or electronic equipment," Austad said.
There's more than one reason to do it, he says. But he stresses that the best timing is now.
"It's a peace of mind, and it's for your health, and it is quite common," Austad said. "It's often more of the rule that your home would have an elevated radon level in this part of the country, it's easy to check for, and it's cost-effective to correct through mitigation. So it's a good, it's a value-added effect for the home, and it is a good selling point on real estate."