With windows and doors closed, radon concentration levels spike during winter months.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established  the month of January as National Radon Action Month. Thrasher Basement Systems of Omaha, Nebraska urges homeowners in the state to get their homes tested.

Radon can be found all over the U.S. but according to the agency, some areas have a higher potential for elevated indoor radon levels.

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States with an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year related to radon exposure. Radon exposure kills more people each year than drunk driving.

Also according to that agency, nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. It can get into any type of building – homes, offices, and schools – through cracks in walls and floor, joints, and openings.

Radon is sucked in because of the way air moves inside these structures and, without enough openings to let it out, radon concentration levels can spike quickly and reach unsafe levels, especially in winter months, when windows and doors remain closed.

That is why January is the best month to have your home tested: doors and windows are kept closed making it is easier to measure actual concentrations.

According to Dr. Maria Neira, from United Nation’s World Health Organization “Most radon-induced lung cancers occur from low and medium dose exposures in people’s homes.”

When you breathe in air containing radon, radioactive particles can get trapped in your lungs. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy.

This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Every homeowner within the high risk areas should have their home tested. If the levels in the home are found to be higher than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), a radon mitigation system should be installed. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases homeowners may opt to reduce them.

Radon mitigation systems work and are not too costly, especially if you measure them against the health benefits.  Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
To locate a certified Radon Testing and Mitigation contractor in your area, you should search for your State Radon Contact ( via EPA website and contact them for referrals.
If you live in Nebraska, Western Iowa and Northwestern Missouri, one of out Top Dealers, Thrasher Basement System is an area’s certified Radon Mitigation and Testing company. They offer state-of-the-art radon testing, and developing fully customized radon mitigation systems.

According to the E.P.A.  radon incidence map, many counties in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri are within the high risk zone.

Nebraska, for example, has a very high incidence of radon in homes; over half of homes that test in the state have levels above the action level of 4.0 pCi/L.

Founded in 1975 by Greg Thrasher in Earling, Iowa, Thrasher Basement Systems, Inc. is today one of the largest waterproofing and foundation repair contractors in the region, now offering radon mitigation systems.

For more information on Radon Testing and Mitigation systems, visit Thrasher Basement Systems website.

In May, Badger Basement Systems held a contest open to anyone who sustained damage to a basement as a result of last summer’s record floods. There were many entries in the contest, but the Smiths received the most nominations due to the severity of the damage to their home, as well as their active involvement and volunteering in the community. Staff from Badger surprised the couple at their Fort Atkinson home with balloons and presented them with the free basement renovation.

Neighbors wrote in nominating the couple explaining that the flooding in the basement was so severe, pumps couldn’t keep up. Water from the ground was seeping in through the walls of the 100-year-old house. They had to stop pumping out water or the walls would collapse from the pressure. Within a few hours they had 42 inches of water in the basement and they were forced to evacuate the house for a couple of weeks. Although neighbors pitched in to help out, the basement was still ruined.

With a crew of eight Badger staff members, construction began the morning of August 28. They installed a 145-foot perimeter system with some Trench Drains, a SuperSump sump pump, and a buried discharge. The crew started at 8 a.m. and finished cleaning up at 2:30 p.m. After going through the harrowing ordeal of a flooded basement, the Smiths were extremely happy that their basement was fixed again and that Badger was able to finish in just one day.

A sump pump is the heart of your basement waterproofing system. It’s the main tool used to remove the water from your basement. However, if it is not installed correctly then it can do more bad than good. Sump pits that are open and messy can cause water to leak out or make the air more humid. Humid air in a basement can cause mold and musty odors to form making the basement environment uncomfortable and unhealthy.

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There is the awful “mold scare” tactic, the gross misrepresentation of the amount and urgency of repairs, the bashing of competitors to keep homeowners from getting additional estimates. To force a quick closing  there is the very popular but extremely dishonest technique of  jacking up the price and, when the homeowner refuses the proposal, offer overly generous “discounts” (as high as 50% sometimes), “but only if you close the deal right now”.

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