Invisible, deadly gas may be elevated for some NJ homes after latest snowstorm

It's a danger some New Jersey homeowners may have and not even be aware. It certainly was a new issue for me with the current place I live in.

Not every home, but some in New Jersey have an odorless, colorless gas present in their space known as radon. It's a deadly gas that emits from the ground and soil. It's radioactive and is the second leading cause of lung cancer just under smoking.

That means if you're not a smoker, you're still at risk of developing lung cancer with radon being the number one cause for you. And it's something you have to take seriously should radon gas be emitting into your home.

Since my New Jersey home is one of those that falls into this category, I wanted to share how we learned about it when we were buying our home, and what we do to monitor it.

Also important is knowing when to avoid a space with radon altogether due to high levels of gas being present. And, why New Jersey's latest winter storm might actually make radon situations worse.

How I learned

If you're looking to buy a new home with a floor below ground level, then you're going to want to have the home tested for radon. Basements and cellars especially should be checked.

I learned of this deadly gas during the "under contract" stage of buying our current home. We were told by the inspector that a mitigation system had to be installed before we could move in.

Radon levels were high enough to warrant this, of which the previous owners agreed (from my understanding, the pervious owners had no idea the homes basement had elevated radon levels). A mitigation system was installed, which brought the radon levels down to a point where it's not considered dangerous.

Weather to inspect the home in

Here's why the previous owners probably didn't know about this. Most likely when they moved in, the homes basement was inspected during nice, dry weather. When our inspection happened, it was at the tail end of a very long, rainy period.

As it turns out, rain and soggy soil elevate radon levels inside a home. And over the past 10 plus years we've been living here, I can absolutely tell you that this is a pattern that holds true.

So if you're looking to buy a new home with a basement, cellar, or floor underground, have the structure inspected toward the end or immediately right after a heavy rain storm. Odds are, that's when radon levels will be elevated the most.

Winter storms, power outages, and radon

Here's the big one for all of us in New Jersey. All that snow on the ground? I acts as a giant barrier for radon gas to escape into the atmosphere, which in turn increases the odds of it getting into your home. Plus the pressure difference between the cold outside and warmth inside also contributes to this.

With so many homes still dealing with power outages, it's possible your homes below-grade level may have increased radon levels. Weather is such a big factor with snow, rain, and cold all contributing to elevated radon levels.

ALSO READ: Does NJ law really allow 24-hours to clear snow from vehicles?

Again, if you're looking for a new home, right now might be a wise time to check to see if the home you're looking to move into needs a mitigation system installed. Or, if this is new to you, to have your lower levels inspected before the snow melts away.

"Safe" radon levels

I put the word safe in quotes because technically speaking, radon is not a safe gas for us to breathe. Period. Radon, in simple terms, is a radioactive gas caused by the decay of uranium underground.

However, very low levels of the gas are considered OK. Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and can easily be monitored with a home device you can easily purchase.

If your levels are below 2 pCi/L, that's generally OK and doesn't necessarily need a mitigation system installed. Anything between 2 and 4 pCi/L should be monitored. At or above 4 pCi/L must be addressed as that is the threshold where developing lung cancer becomes a real concern.

My take on it

I live in a very hilly area that apparently has radon gas emitting from the ground (I always joke that my home was built on a pile of uranium... which, who knows, could be true). But it doesn't mean my home isn't safe to live in.

As long as you have a good mitigation system installed, and you monitor the levels, you'll be OK. With our mitigation system, the levels usually stay below 1 pCi/L. But when our power went out during the snowstorm, our mitigator also turned off, and our radon level spiked to 3.99 pCi/L, which isn't good. It dropped back down again once power was restored.

Some advice I can give you if you have radon is to stay out of the space when the levels elevate, and to monitor it regularly in case it stays elevated. As long as you do that, being in that space shouldn't be a problem.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.