DHEC map shows average radon levels are higher in the Upstate than other parts of South Carolina
DHEC recommends people test their homes every three years
DHEC recommends people test their homes every three years
DHEC recommends people test their homes every three years
According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, testing shows the highest average radon levels in South Carolina homes are in the Upstate.
"Radon is a radioactive gas, you can't see, taste or smell it,” Ryan Lutz, Environmental Manager at DHEC, said.
According to the DHEC’s radon levels map, Oconee County has the highest levels followed by Greenville County.
“It can depend on the soil, the quality of the soil and how easy radon can move through the soil because that can be a big factor and home construction and the way the home is built can be a factor,” Lutz said.
Lutz explained how radon can get into your home.
“It comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil and just based on how houses are built or any building, homes in particular, it can come in through cracks in the foundation, in the walls, so any kind of cracks, through a crawl space, basement, a slab, it can leak into your home and that's where it accumulates, and that's how it becomes dangerous when it accumulates in the home,” Lutz said.
If exposed over a long period of time, state health officials said radon can be a health risk. According to DHEC, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
“It’s important to know that not everyone with radon exposure will develop lung cancer. In fact, it’s a minority of people, but because it’s so prevalent, it’s something we need to be aware of,” said Dr. Richard O’Neal, a medical oncologist with Prisma Health.
DHEC recommends people test their homes every three years. Shane Hipps, the owner of Radon Recon, has been mitigating radon in the Upstate for roughly six years.
“If a house comes in with a radon level of 4 picocuries or higher, it’s recommended to mitigate it to lower the levels,” Hipps said. “The EPA also states that there’s no safe level of radon, so just because your radon levels are below 4, doesn’t mean you’re free and clear. It means that you're below that threshold.”
To reduce radon levels, Hipps said homeowners can get a mitigation system installed that removes the gas from under the house.
“I’ve seen numbers come in at 20, and we can get it down to, say 3. It can make a huge difference,” Hipps said.