Alaska’s Most Under-Tested Indoor Air Quality Threat

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the decay of uranium in rock and soil beneath your home. It seeps upward through foundation cracks, sump openings, and construction gaps — accumulating in basements and lower levels.

You cannot see radon. You cannot smell it. The only way to know if your home has elevated levels is to test.

The Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys documents that radon is an under-recognized health risk in Alaska. Many homes test above the EPA’s action level of 4 pCi/L. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

Alaska Properties at Higher Radon Risk:

• Homes built into hillsides or with daylight basements
• Properties on granitic or metamorphic bedrock
• Homes with sump pits or foundation penetrations
• Older construction with less-sealed foundations