Quad City Area homes are at high risk for high levels of radon gas, the second-leading cause of lung cancer, according to the EPA.
Radon, a natural radioactive gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water, typically seeps through the cracks of a home through the foundation, floor, walls, openings around floor drains, pipes and sump pumps, according to EPA officials. The tasteless, odorless and invisible gas has repeatedly tested high in Iowa homes.
Tony Bradley, the president of Radon Solutions in Bettendorf, agreed that high levels of radon have been tested in Iowa and Illinois' homes, but suggests lack of radon research in other areas of the country have influenced the data.
"The research has been done so much in this area," Bradley said.
"Now the research is beginning to be done in other states and they are starting to show signs similar to Iowa and Illinois."
While short-term exposure may be harmless, experts claim that long-term exposure can lead to cancer.
To test your home, you can purchase a radon test kit from your local hardware store for around $40, or you can call a professional to conduct the test. Four picocuries per liter, or pCi/L, is considered an acceptable radon level. Experts recommend homeowners to have a fan installed for anything above four pCi/L.
To install a Radon mitigation fan, you're looking at spending anywhere from $800 to $2500, depending on the size and layout of your home, Tony Bradley said, the president of Radon Solutions in Bettendorf.
Once a fan is installed, it vacuums under the home to pull radon away from living spaces and direct it towards the outside.
"The best thing to do is make sure you take care of the problem, it's a long-term process," Bradley said.
Iowa and northern Illinois are considered zone one, which means they have high risk for radon in a lot of homes in the state.
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation declaring January "Radon Action Month."