9 in 10 New Orleans Homeowners Haven’t Tested for Radon Gas
by John Egan
January 17, 2017
Thousands of homeowners in the New Orleans, LA, metro area are clueless about whether they’re being exposed to an invisible, and potentially deadly, radioactive gas
A LawnStarter analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows nearly 9 of every 10 homeowners in the New Orleans area (89.8 percent) have not tested their homes for the presence of radon gas. Among 25 major metro areas included in the bureau’s 2015 American Housing Survey, the New Orleans area has the highest share of homes that haven’t undergone radon tests, followed by Houston, TX, and Memphis, TN. The Census Bureau released the survey results in January 2017.
An estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year in the U.S. as a result of exposure to radon, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. Radon is the country’s No. 2 cause of lung cancer, behind cigarette smoking, and it’s the No. 1 cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.
Each January, health and safety officials observe National Radon Action Month in an effort to educate Americans about radon risks and encourage them to test their homes for radon exposure.
Photo: Oregon Health Authority
According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that’s released from uranium, thorium and radium found in soil and rocks. Radon can center a home through cracks in foundations, floors or walls, and then build up inside the home, experts say.
The only way to find out whether radon is present in your home is to conduct a radon test. You can perform the test yourself or hire a qualified contractor to do it. For more information, visit the website of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Although the EPA says New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana are at the lowest risk of radon exposure, no level of radon is considered safe and all homes should be tested.
“If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family,” the EPA says.
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