radon gas

In an ABC 4 Health Alert, a South Jordan family is living with a killer, something that can't be seen or smelled ― radon gas. It's the leading cause of non-smoking lung cancer and a problem featured on Sunday's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

The Willardsons spent a year and thousands of dollars finishing their basement, that includes bedrooms for their children, but those rooms remain vacant because of the dangerous levels of Radon gas found in their bedrooms and bathroom. "I didn't know if it was a scam, honestly, I thought at first is it really a legit problem?" said homeowner Trista Willardson.

The Willardsons decided to test for radon gas before they allowed their children to move in downstairs and bought a test kit at Home Depot to find out. They put two kits, designed to absorb the gas in their children's bathroom, sealed the room for two days and learned the results. Levels came back at 9, more than double the safe level of 4.

If they hadn't checked those levels their children could've been exposed to harmful radiation. It causes lung cancer and would be equivalent to them smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. "Radon is radioactive," said Department of Environmental Quality Radon Specialist David Neville, "you breathe it in and breath it out just fine but when you breathe it in it emits alpha radiation and alpha radiation can damage the linings within your cell membranes of your lungs."

Neville said Radon is commonly found in mountainous areas such as the Wasatch Front. Thirty percent of homes across the Wasatch Front contain Radon gas and it is a radioactive decay element of uranium found in ground soils.

The solution for the Willardson is easy but pricy. Radon consultant, Kurt Solomon knows how to get rid of it. "What we're going to do is create a big vacuum cleaner beneath the cement slab and suck out all of the gases and reduce Radon levels. He says he'll dig a six inch hole, install a PVC pipe that runs to the attic. Up in the attic he'll install a fan that will suck the gas out of an exhaust pipe on the roof. Solomon says it usually reduces levels to around two for a cost of around $2,000.

The Willardsons say it's well worth the cost. "If you know something is a risk and you know how to fix it, you should fix it," said Trista Willardson. "It's your health, you can't replace that," said Dr. Gary Willardson.