radon test

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   we wanted to get one when we bought the house but didn't.. I think about it a few times a year and wish we would have. has anyone used a home radon test kit? or has anyone had a test at all? it's so bad for kids, and if we have high levels to get the filter is a couple thousand dollars. i hate to think we are exposing them to it- we have an unfinished basement and no one really goes there except to do laundry and then the kids aren't really down there ever. but our furnace is.. 

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minneapolismama Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'invaluable Member Rating(4) P'insane Perennial Pinner 6 years 10 days Joined: 13 May 2007 Location: United States Points: 16554	Post Options Post Reply Quote minneapolismama Report Post Quote Reply Topic: radon test Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 11:12am
	we wanted to get one when we bought the house but didn't.. I think about it a few times a year and wish we would have. has anyone used a home radon test kit? or has anyone had a test at all? it's so bad for kids, and if we have high levels to get the filter is a couple thousand dollars. i hate to think we are exposing them to it- we have an unfinished basement and no one really goes there except to do laundry and then the kids aren't really down there ever. but our furnace is..
	Katie, mama to Alexander 2-8-07 and Maggie Rose 5-3-10

bree Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'infamous Member Rating(31) P'insane Perennial Pinner 3 years 103 days Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Points: 22051	Post Options Post Reply Quote bree Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 11:59am
	How old is your house? When we were looking to buy it was highly recommended by our realtor for most of the houses we looked at. There was one that already had it done, but had the paperwork out for us showing that the filter/pipe needed to be installed and the cost of it. Yipes! I've never tried a home test kit, since we haven't had a basement since 2007. It's worth a shot though, right?

Nuttygirl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'incredible Member Rating(14) Perennial Pinner 5 years 91 days Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Location: United States Points: 6603	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nuttygirl Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 12:58pm
	We did a test and we were in the borderline area. We got the home test kits and are using them right now but there are a lot of things you have to do with them that makes it difficult in our house with our kids to do them a hundred percent correctly. Anyway about how bad it is for kids: slightly elevated leves really aren't that much worse for anyone than levels below the minimal amount reccomended. The problem with it is the increase in lung problems. But I remember for my research that the percent of people getting those lung issues only rises by a teensy bit percent wise. Now of course this is different for people with really high levels but the really high levels are extremely rare. The real problem seems to be with radon and smoking. Smokers that have elevated radon levels in their homes even if slightly elevated significantly increase their risk of lung disease. I honestly don't worry about our radon too much especially with how often our kids open and shut doors all year long. But my dh does so we will probably get some sort of filter if the home test is more of a problem. You really have to do a long term test if your results are borderline to get an accurate sense becuase there could be abnormally high or low results and certain times of the year for certain reasons.
	Mom to DS1 1/06, DD 3/08, and DS2 10/10

HC in KC Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'incredible Member Rating(4) Perennial Pinner 4 years 59 days Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Location: Oz Points: 5796	Post Options Post Reply Quote HC in KC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 1:09pm
	We have done a test as part of the inspection in both houses that we own. (Sadly, we still own both, ugh.) Our first house had it. The sellers paid to have a system put in...IIRC it was about $800. Our current house doesn't have it. A lot of houses in the neighborhood do. I see systems on a lot of them. Ours doesn't. Is it a big problem where you live? Not just your town, but your neighborhood specifically? I think a proper gage is to run the test for 48-72 hours. That is for a professional test. All doors to the basement would need to remain closed for the duration. Personally, I would do it. We have a finished basement though. We all use it a lot.
	Holly My Homemade Heavento,488px);}");

minneapolismama Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'invaluable Member Rating(4) P'insane Perennial Pinner 6 years 10 days Joined: 13 May 2007 Location: United States Points: 16554	Post Options Post Reply Quote minneapolismama Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 3:51pm
	no one knew about this neighborhood. but the general area- yes it tends to have it. maybe dh will want to try the home test now.
	Katie, mama to Alexander 2-8-07 and Maggie Rose 5-3-10

ambrose Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'investigator Joined: 25 Sep 2007 Location: PDX Points: 9001	Post Options Post Reply Quote ambrose Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 5:43pm
	Ugh. We meant to do that when we were closing on our house, but didn't. The test we bought said you had to not be in the house for something like 2 days. So the only time we could really do it now is if we go on vacation. And somehow I'm just not motivated to come home to the results, you know? We don't have a basement, just a crawl space. Probably because of that factor. (or maybe just all the rain, there's a sump pump down there). Is it more of an issue for older or newer houses? Ours is 1994.
	Katherine mom to Solomon, 7/07, and Eve, 2/10.

Sarah2106 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'inspector Member Rating(20) P'insane Perennial Pinner 4 years 359 days Joined: 29 May 2008 Location: Rocky Mtn High Points: 24796	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sarah2106 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 7:40pm
	We need to do it. My parents have done the home test kits a few times. In Ohio, many years ago, we had to have it corrected before we could sell. In Wyoming (where they are now) the levels are high and they need to vent it (it is not a tough process) they just haven't. Add that to my to-do list... My understanding is that radon has more to do with the ground, not year of the house. In wyoming where I lived almost everyone has pretty high levels because the ground is full of shale. Where we were in Ohio it was clay and the levels were low, but just .05 above the acceptable level
	Wife & Mom to my amazing 3 “Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Nuttygirl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List P'incredible Member Rating(14) Perennial Pinner 5 years 91 days Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Location: United States Points: 6603	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nuttygirl Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 03 Apr 2012 at 8:55pm
	Yeah it has more to do with the ground. Some newer homes that are made really green and know about the tendency of an area to have radon will have stuff laid down before the foundation is put in that helps block the radon. so in that way newer homes can be better, but only ones that are built a special way. Most aren't so an older home or newer one has about the same chance to have radon in it. Our area has problems in some areas although we have more clay in our neighborhood than other places.
	Mom to DS1 1/06, DD 3/08, and DS2 10/10