Radon in the Home Can Cause Lung Cancer

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The EPA recommends a short-term test (about $15) first, since it's more convenient. If the results are 4 pCi/L or higher, the agency recommends that you follow up with either a long-term test or second short-term test. If the long-term test or the average of two short-term tests is 4 pCi/L or higher, the EPA says you should take steps to safeguard your home.

A qualified professional can install a radon-reduction system that will cost around $2,000. The system works by using a pipe and simple fan to draw air from beneath the home to prevent radon-containing air from migrating from the soil up through the basement and into the home, Gelman said.

"There is a real public health issue here," Wehrum said. "What we have to do is persuade people that it is important to test their homes and to act if the test indicates that there is a problem."

Still unsure whether you should test your home?

Gelman and his colleagues have developed a Web site called the "Radon Project" (www.stat.columbia.edu/~radon/), which includes a test that assesses a homeowner's risk of dangerous levels of radon in the house.

More information

The EPA has more about radon.