By Samantha Angaiak | Posted: Mon 4:50 PM, Feb 12, 2018
Others include the Railbelt and Mat-Su areas.
Tyson Brauneis, with Radon Rescue 911, said he's been involved with testing homes for radon for close to 20 years.
Brauneis said he's seeing higher levels of radon than estimates by the U.S. EPA.
"Here in the Mat-Su Valley, Anchorage, Eagle River area we're seeing about 5 out of every 15 homes," Brauneis said.
The U.S. EPA estimates nearly 1 out of every 15 homes has elevated radon levels.
Brauneis recommends testing home radon levels every two years.
"We recommend in the state of Alaska having your home tested approximately every two years, even if you have a radon mitigation system, you should continue to have it tested every 2-5 years, (you want to) make sure that system's working (and) nothing has changed," Brauneis said.
Factors influencing radon levels include the actual presence of radon in the ground, a home's foundation to the ground, or a way for air to enter the home from the ground.
"Usually that happens because there are holes in the house or the slab or the cement block wall, that the air from the ground is seeping into the house. But it doesn't just seep in really, it's because the house is creating a negative pressure, particularly in the winter time because the heater is running so much that it's forcing air out of the house and that the negative pressure pulls in the air from the ground," Athey said.
Athey recommends Alaskans get their houses tested for radon levels and to make mitigation efforts.
"You can plug up those holes essentially, so if you have cracks in slab, use compound and put those into the cracks you can tape around holes in the plastic and there are people that specialize in radon mitigation so you would really call those folks and get kind of an assessment for their house," Athey said.
To find out how to get your home's radon level tested, visit UAF's Cooperative Extension.
it's because the house is creating a negative pressure, particularly in the winter time because the heater is running so much that it's forcing air out of the house and that the negative pressure pulls in the air from the ground," Athey said.
Athey recommends Alaskans get their houses tested for radon levels and to make mitigation efforts.
"You can plug up those holes essentially, so if you have cracks in slab, use compound and put those into the cracks you can tape around holes in the plastic and there are people that specialize in radon mitigation so you would really call those folks and get kind of an assessment for their house," Athey said.
To find out how to get your home's radon level tested, visit UAF's Cooperative Extension.
Factors influencing radon levels include the actual presence of radon in the ground, a home's foundation to the ground, or a way for air to enter the home from the ground.
"Usually that happens because there are holes in the house or the slab or the cement block wall, that the air from the ground is seeping into the house. But it doesn't just seep in really,
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