There are many things that are pretty great about living in the midwest. People are used to hard work, the housing market is affordable, and the unemployment rate is really low. In addition, states like Nebraska and Iowa were recently names as one of the states in America that have the lowest rates of depression. For all of the things that the midwest has going for it, however, there is one thing that is not so great: radon levels. In fact, one of the latest studies shows that Nebraska has the third-highest radon levels when it is compared to other states. In fact, only Iowa and Pennsylvania have more. Nebraska and Iowa, two neighboring states in the midwest, are places where it is especially important to make sure that you are checking for radon and monitoring the safety of your home.
Although radon testing is required before a house is purchased in the state of Nebraska, many home owners make the mistake of never testing those levels again once they move in. In the state of Nebraska, the higher radon levels are caused by the fact that the earth’s rock layer is closer to the surface than it is in other areas. And sense this rock layer remains close, it only makes sense that there should be more consistent testing of these levels.
When radon levels that are too high are discovered there are services that are offered by radon mitigation companies. One of the services that they offer is to examine any sump pump that is installed. Sump pump installation not only helps with high water level tables, it can also be a source of the radon problem. By capping the opening to a sump pump, however, a home owner can make sure that the radon from the ground does not have easy access into the basement.

Residential radon testing kits can help home owners determine if they need to bring in a professional radon mediation team to make sure that the house is safe. Unfortunately, as many as one in 15 U.S. homes is estimated to have radon levels at or above the EPA action level. Even worse is the fact that the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America today.