False 1 English 51 Getting Ready for Your Baby, Lung, Home Safety 4/28/2013 12:55:43 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/tools_icons/testyourhomeforradonquicktips.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/getting-ready-for-your-baby/test-your-home-for-radon-quick-tips http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/pregnancy/getting-ready-for-your-baby/protect-your-family-from-lead-poisoning topic http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/safety/prevent-allergy-and-asthma-attacks-at-home topic http://www.epa.gov/radon/ http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html <p>Radon is a natural radioactive gas that you can&rsquo;t taste, smell, or see. Breathing radon can increase your chances of getting lung cancer, especially if you smoke.</p><p>About 1 out of every 15 homes in the United States has a level of radon&nbsp;that needs to be reduced.</p><p>Testing your home is the only way to know if your home has a radon problem. If the radon level is high, you can take steps to fix it.</p><h2>Test your home with a short-term test.</h2><p>You can test for radon yourself or hire a professional to do it for you. If you rent your home, ask your landlord to get it tested.</p><p>There are 2 main types of radon test kits. Short-term tests take between 2 and 90 days. Long-term tests take more than 90 days. Start with a short-term test.</p><ul><li>Test for radon in the lowest lived-in level of your home. If you use part of your basement for living space, like a playroom, test there. If you use your basement only for storage, test&nbsp;the ground floor.</li><li>You can buy test kits at home improvement or hardware stores. To order a test kit over the phone, call the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236).</li><li>If your home has a radon level of 4 or higher, it&rsquo;s time to take action. There is no safe level of radon, so you may&nbsp;still want to fix your home if the radon level is between 2 and 4.</li></ul><h2>Test your home again if the radon level is 4 or higher.</h2><p>The radon level in your home can change. A long-term test is the best way to know what the radon level is over time.</p><ul><li>If the radon level was very high or if you are in a hurry, use another short-term test.</li><li>If the level was close to 4 and you have time, use a long-term test.</li></ul><h2>If your home has a radon level of 4 or higher, fix your home.</h2><p>If 2 radon test kits show the radon level in your home is 4 or higher, make a plan to fix your home. You may want&nbsp;to&nbsp;fix it if the radon level is between 2 and 4.</p><ul><li>Be sure to hire a contractor who is qualified to fix radon. It&rsquo;s a good idea to get at least 2 price estimates.</li><li>For help finding a contractor or your state radon office, visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html" >http://www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html</a>.</li><li>For help finding a radon test kit, visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html" >http://www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html</a>.</li></ul> <script type='text/javascript'>var healthfinder_search_api_domain='http://healthfinder.gov'; var healthfinder_search_api_key='demo_analytic_key'; var healthfinder_search_api_q = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_lang = 'en'; var healthfinder_search_api_type = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_topics = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_tools = '51'; var healthfinder_search_api_categories = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_return_type = 'xml'; </script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://healthfinder.gov/Scripts/hf_search_api_analytics.js'></script> http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov <script type='text/javascript'>var healthfinder_search_api_domain='http://healthfinder.gov'; var healthfinder_search_api_key='demo_analytic_key'; var healthfinder_search_api_q = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_lang = 'en'; var healthfinder_search_api_type = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_topics = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_tools = '51'; var healthfinder_search_api_categories = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_return_type = 'xml'; </script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://healthfinder.gov/Scripts/hf_search_api_analytics.js'></script>