Mesa Market Mojo Report: November 2016 – Radon On The Mesa

It is scary to me how many people ignore radon in Santa Barbara. Most of us would never smoke cigarettes, but many people are willing to live in houses that are as dangerous to live in as if we smoked. Homes contaminated by radon can easily create a life-threatening health situation for their occupants.

What you see on this page is a Mesa map that I had drawn. It shows the high and medium risk locations for having homes contaminated by radon. Living in a high contamination home is approximately the same as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. You owe it to yourself and your family to check and see if your home is in a high or medium risk area. Whether tenant or homeowner, be sure to see if you have elevated levels, and to get the situation fixed!

Radon occurs naturally in soil and is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. As a natural radioactive decay product of uranium, it is found in nearly all soils. It is invisible. You can’t smell it, or even taste it. Radon is considered harmless when dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings can be a serious health hazard.

Radon’s radioactive particles can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As the particles decay, they release small bursts of energy. These bursts can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of one’s lifetime, although not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. Many years can elapse between exposure to radon and the onset of disease.

Radon concentrates in the Rincon Shale Geologic zone, and is found in the Mesa and at many locations throughout Santa Barbara, Goleta, Hope Ranch and Montecito.

To protect yourself and your family, testing is the first step. You can use do-it-yourself test kits from Home Improvement Center or Home Depot, or you can purchase one online for about $15 plus lab fee. Or you can have a radon testing company come and test your home. Winter is the best season to test as the windows must be kept closed for two days.

If you find high levels in your home, fixing the problem is straightforward and costs $3,000 to $6,000 for most Mesa homes. Radon can be intercepted under a house and blown to the outside air, making the home safe to live in. With proven techniques and time-tested, durable materials, most radon problems can be quickly fixed. If you have any concerns please give me a call.

“Experience is number one when it comes down to a Realtor!
Scott’s experience is great to have when it comes down to close a deal! Always on time and very organized works for me when doing something so important as buying or selling your home! Scott delivers what is needed, is always on time and in a very professional way! I have bought and sold 4 homes with Scott and I will not change this in the future; he is just a great Realtor!!!”

–  JC Mallmann