By CARLA MORRICAL-FREDERKING

Special to The Hays Daily News

For nonsmokers, the No. 1 cause of lung cancer is exposure to a single, naturally occurring source of indoor air pollution -- radon -- which is also the No. 2 cause overall.

Radon gas is the result of the decay of uranium-238 in soil and rock.

One in four Kansas homes could have dangerous levels of radon, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That's better than the averages for Nebraska and Iowa. But, it's much worse than the national average: one in 15 homes.

"Many Kansans have undetected exposures. The only way to know what the radon level is in any home is to test," said Bruce Snead, indoor air specialist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Radon tests have been completed at 370 local homes. Of these tests, 164 had radon levels over 4. If the short-term test returns with a radon value of 4 to 10, the EPA recommends performing a long-term test to gauge the home's annual radon concentration.

Radon is sneaky, Snead said. When it seeps in from the soil beneath a house, it can accumulate. But it won't provide any warning signs, such as nausea or a bad smell -- even though it's radioactive.

Working with the KSU-based Kansas Radon Program and its coordinator, Brian Hanson, Snead has been providing the needed technical training for many central U.S. radon measurement and mitigation professionals. The two also have been working with real estate agents, local governments and Kansas legislators to increase awareness and testing, and to reduce the radon risks.

Depending on house features, radon mitigation typically costs from $1,000 to $1,500, Snead said. In most cases, it combines sealing foundation leaks and installing a system that draws the gas from under the house and exhausts it above the building, using a pipe and small fan.

"Good help is available now," he said. "Kansans, at least, also can get KRP testing instructions and an at-cost kit from their county or district Extension office. That test kit will tell homeowners whether they have reason to call in a pro."

Further information is available by calling the Kansas Radon Hotline at (800) 693-5343 or accessing the KRP Web site at www.kansasradon program.org.

Carla Morrical-Frederking is the Ellis County Research and Extension agent for family and consumer science.