Your Free Montana Radon Test Kit Could Help Prevent Lung Cancer

If you've never had your home tested for radon gas (or if it's been a while), you probably should. During January, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality is providing free radon test kits for residents, while supplies last. You can order your Montana radon test kit HERE.

What is radon?

When I became a real estate agent in Montana, our training spent time covering radon, what it is, and why it's bad (along with lots of discussion about the disclosure requirements regarding radon). Previously, I admit I didn't know much about it.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. It is found in all 50 states. The gas is the byproduct of decaying uranium in the soil and water. The Montana DEQ notes,

When radon undergoes radioactive decay, it emits ionizing radiation in the form of alpha particles. It also produces short-lived decay products, often called progeny or daughters. Some of these are also radioactive. Unlike radon, the progeny are not gases and can easily attach to dust and other particles. Those particles can be transported by air and inhaled.

Nasty stuff.

Why is radon dangerous?

The effects of radon gas are not immediate but are very serious. According to the EPA, smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer in the United States, but for non-smokers, the top cause of lung cancer is radon exposure. Not fun, right?

What if your radon test comes back positive?

Radon is interesting in that your neighbor across the street might not have elevated levels of radon, while your home might have dangerously high levels of the invisible gas. That's why it's so important to get a radon test.

If you discover your home has elevated radon levels, mitigation is a relatively simple process, with numerous companies around the state providing remediation systems.

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Essentially, a series of small holes are drilled in your basement cement and a venting system traps and releases the radon to the outside air. Costs vary but typically run around $1,500. Montana DEQ says the cost can range from $500 to $2,500.