​Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, and for most people, the subject of lung cancer immediately conjures up a particular image: smoking. This automatic association is legitimate, for about 82% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to cigarette smoking. However, there is another killer who strikes in many of our homes: radon.
 
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon exposure is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the U.S.
 
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas produced from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. The gas can accumulate indoors, causing exposure to DNA-damaging radiation.
 
There are two main ways radon can make its way into your home. The first is through the soil or rock that is under or surrounding your house. As the uranium in the soil releases radon, the radon can seep into your house through cracks in the floors and the walls. Because most houses have limited air circulation, once radon gets in, it stays, leading to elevated levels, most commonly in the basement and lowest levels of the house. The second-way radon enters your home is through  your well or groundwater. Then, when you turn on any faucet, it releases the radon into the air. 
 
The EPA estimates that residential radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year worldwide. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t find out they have radon in their home until a family member is diagnosed with lung cancer.
 
Fortunately, testing a home for radon is relatively simple, and home radon mitigation systems usually cost between $800 and $1,500.???????
 
As a part of my home inspections business, I offer radon testing to establish whether your home is within the recommended EPA levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or lower. Radon testing takes place in the basement and requires that the windows and doors remain closed (as much as possible) for a period of 48 hours. Then I collect the testing equipment and provide clients with a printout of the results and names of reputable contractors for mitigation, if necessary. 
 
If you have not had your home tested for radon and would like to schedule a Standalone Radon inspection, give me a call to discuss your concerns or simply visit my website and schedule your
appointment online. The cost for the test is $175.  My contact information is at the top of this article.  You can also download a free copy of the EPA’s “Citizen’s Guide to Radon” on my website if you’d like to learn more about this home safety issue.

​No one wants to take a fall on ice, so how can you make icy surfaces less slippery? A product like ice melt, which employ salt blends that lower the freezing point of precipitation when it hits the ground, melting existing snow and ice to reduce the amount that will accumulate after it’s applied. However, they have less-than-desirable side effects.
 
Experts say that any salt used to de-ice surfaces will seep into porous pavements, causing concrete to rust, crack and deteriorate. Salt-based deicers can also cause problems for your lawn and garden and will often find their way into lakes, streams and groundwater. There is also an impact on pets, who can experience dried-out or cracked skin if they get salt on their paws.
 
So, how can you keep your sidewalks and walkways safe without doing harm? The best deicer, bar none, is a shovel! Get outside and shovel before you walk or drive on the surface. Shoveling is also the best way to reduce the amount of product needed on icy surfaces. The more snow and ice you remove manually, the less product you will have to use and the more effective it will be. 
 
Choose a good shovel that will help prevent a sore back. Snowplow first at an angle, use a heavy plastic shovel (not metal) on finished concrete patios to avoid scratches) & shovel frequently during a storm rather than tackling all 12” of accumulation at once.
 
If the temperature is below 15 degrees (too cold for salt) use sand, kitty litter or sawdust to provide traction on ice. (They are also good products to carry in your vehicle all winter in case you get stuck.) 
 
Next, if you want to use ice melt, choose a product that carries the EPA Safer Choice label as the ingredients are safer for humans and the environment, without sacrificing quality. Try Premier products by CP Industries; Safe Step products by Compass Minerals; K-9 Pet-Friendly Ice Melt by EC Grow or Advanced Melt or Nature’s Choice by EcoChem. 
 
Another unusual but potentially effective option (from what I’ve read) is to apply beet juice deicer. It lowers the melting point of ice and snow and is considered safer for animals, plants and concrete. It’s also one of the only products that will work in extremely cold temperatures, anything from about -5 degrees F or colder.
 
A final  tip: When using salt, less is more. Use less than four pounds of salt per 1,000 sq ft. (one pound of salt fits in a 12 ounce coffee mug.) Once ice has melted, any visible salt or sand should be swept up to prevent it from washing away & causing damage to local bodies of water.