As a native Californian, when I first heard the term “radon” I reacted like most Californians who look at earthquakes, floods, and fires as natural threats to their quality of life and said “hah! Not in California!…that’s a Midwest issue.” I have been in the business of disclosing for over 15 years and always take natural hazards seriously, but the more I have investigated radon over the years, the more I think it is a topic that people should take seriously…especially if you area a Realtor representing buyers and sellers.

I attended a mold and radon seminar at Old Republic Title earlier this month in San Jose. The mold issue has been beaten into our heads for years now so I didn’t really take much away from that discussion, but radon was another story. What I came away with is that radon is everywhere, not just in the Midwest or east coast. All homes should be tested for radon, and that the EPA estimates that 21,000 lung cancer deaths occur yearly in the U.S. from radon.

So what is radon? Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the decay of uranium in the soil, It is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. It can permeate through cracks in concrete slabs, or floorboards, so any type of foundation is vulnerable.

Statistics don’t lie, but they can be misleading especially when looking at median radon levels instead of mean levels. Radon levels are measured inpicocuries. If a sample of air has greater than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air, the EPA recommends the home be mitigated. About 10% of the homes in the Bay Area test greater than 4pCi/L so nine times out of ten, the levels will be below 4pCi /L. If you are looking at maps or data that use median statistics, you will find that our area is incorrectly categorized as a low-level area. If the ninth and tenth study has high radon levels, such as 10 or 20pCi/L, then the mean, or average, will be much higher and more accurate.

So what are the true stats? The coastal foothills typically have higher than average radon. Tests in Saratoga have returned 25% of tests higher than 4 PCi/L. 34% of tests in the 95033 area code in Los Gatos have returned high. For stats by zip code, download: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/radon/PDFs/California%20Radon%20Data%20base.pdf. I have also heard of homes in Palo Alto testing high. My theory is that many homeowners have been building sub ground living quarters since it has become increasingly difficult to add on second stories in many communities. Radon comes from the soil, and can be trapped in area where there is inadequate venting such as basements.

Testing for radon is cheap. You can go to the state website at: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/radon/default.htm and click on the links to get a kit for under $20. I received a test kit in the mail today and will check to see what my radon levels are in my home…I’m holding my breath…

Ted Stephanos of blueNHD is a frequent guest on Kapowich on Real Estate