Clean Energy Works adds radon testing to its offerings

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Clean Energy Works, the non-profit that helps homeowners save energy, has added radon testing and mitigation to its home performance service.

Radon is a radioactive gas created from the decay of uranium in soils. It enters homes through water or cracks in floors, walls and pipes. Invisible and odorless, it’s the second-leading cause of lung cancer, apart from smoking.

Radon contamination is common in the Portland area, in part because it was deposited in the soil during the Missoula Floods.

“You can’t see, smell or taste radon. The only way to know if your home has high radon levels is to test it,” says Brett Sherry, Oregon radon coordinator of Oregon Health Authority. “Every home should be tested, as elevated radon levels have been found in homes throughout Oregon.”

Clean Energy Works is offering “one-stop shopping” for radon, making the testing and mitigation process more convenient for Oregon homeowners.

The test kit sits on a shelf or out-of-the-way location to absorb and track radon present in a home. Homeowners then seal and ship the container to a lab with a pre-paid shipping label. Results are emailed within a few days. The cost is $19.95, which includes shipping and handling.

Clean Energy Works Home Performance advisors discuss the results with homeowners, and where action is needed, connecting them to a contractor trained in radon mitigation.

Kate Stringer can be reached at 503-357-3181 or kstringer@pamplinmail.com.

Twitter: @KateStringer2

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