Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Kansas City Radon Levels on the Rise—What Should You Do?


There’s no denying it—the weather in Kansas City has been out of control.  One week we’re boasting 80 degree weather and the next, there’s a blizzard.  But something that we may not have noted is the severe drought that the KC metro region is currently experiencing.  As a matter of fact, we are about to enter month 21 of a large Midwestern drought.  What does that mean for you?  Radon problems.

What is radon?
Radon is a silent (and odorless) gas that can leak into homes from the natural decay of uranium present in all different types of soil.  Radon contains cancer-causing alpha particles that are drawn from parched soil through drought-driven cracks in home foundations.  The US Environmental Protection Agency has linked indoor radon to 20,000 lung-cancer deaths annually. 


Is radon in my home?
You are breathing in radon right now.  And we’ve all been breathing it in since we were born.  It’s a natural process that our bodies have learned to cope with.  It’s when we breathe in too much radon over a long period of time that we need to be weary of.  The homes with the highest levels of radon:
  • Have fractures in the foundation, which allows gases to travel through underground channels
  • Leave windows open often
  • Utilize attic fans
  • Have high traffic in and out of the home
  • Are geographically located where droughts are prevalent 
Other factors that could affect the circulation of radon gas include:
  • Soils and basement footings that shift
  • New furnace
  • New air conditioning system
  • Altered plumbing
  • Improved insulation
  • Structural additions to a home 

Kansas City radon levels
So if radon levels rise when a drought occurs, why is Kansas City experiencing such high levels?  After all, there’s plenty of wet snow on the ground!  As a matter of fact, despite the snow piles that have taken over the city, no handful of wet-weather events can cancel scientists’ predictions on the drought and radon levels in Kansas City. 

According to the Kansas City Star, KC is one of the nation’s hottest spots for indoor radon levels above what federal authorities consider safe.  Between 33% and 45% of Kansas City homes show radon levels higher than 4 picocuries per liter (the average home tests at a safe 1.3 pCi/L). 

Preventing & testing radon levels
How can you prevent high levels of radon in your home?  It’s actually quite simple!  First and foremost, it’s important to note that you should test your home approximately every 2 years.  The best time to test for radon is in the winter, when a home is sealed up and the furnaces are churning (so why not do it today?). 

In addition to bi-annual testing, the Kansas and Missouri governments are taking action to fight off the chances of radon sickness.  A bill introduced this year in the Kansas Legislature will make radon testing mandatory for every home sale.  This bill will also allow the state to compare the reported levels to health problems diagnosed in residents.  Currently, Missouri is not introducing a bill to require radon testing. 

So how much is this going to cost me?
A DIY radon testing kit can be purchased for less than $10 at your local home improvement store.  Once you have purchased a kit, you may need an additional $10-$30 for lab tests.  If you’d like professional advice, most services cost around $100-$200 in the Kansas City area.  If you decide to hire a professional, look for companies certified by the state of Kansas for radon inspection (Missouri does not have this requirement). 

If you find that your home has over 4 pCi/L, it is time to shop for a mitigation piping system.  These pipes, including installation, will run at about $700-$1,400.  Always remember—it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Your Home Should Go Green with an Energy Audit this St. Patrick’s Day

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to celebrate everything green in your community (and no, I’m not talking about shamrocks and green beer).  I am talking about all of the green initiatives—such as energy efficient buildings and homes.
Is your home “going green” this St. Patrick’s Day?  If so, there is a process you should be aware of—it’s known as the energy audit process.

What is an energy audit? 
An energy audit is the correlation between how much energy your home is currently using and how much it should be using.  Energy audits, which can be provided by certified energy auditors, provide the best cost/benefit analysis for every savings opportunity identified.  At the end of the energy audit process, you will receive a report that highlights any problems or opportunities for you to start saving energy.  From there, you can check out recommendations and further actions in order to turn your home into the green machine it needs to be! 

What does an energy audit solve? 
An energy audit is the only way to make sure that if you spend money on home improvements that you spend it in areas that will truly give you back value on your dollar.  The entire energy audit process answers important questions such as:
  • What is causing the energy loss? 
  • Is there anything dangerous or unhealthy in the home?
  • Where are the potential health issues?
  • What are the long-term building performance and durability issues?
  • What times will be the most cost-effective to improve the home?

What types of problems will an energy audit find?
Energy audits find many different problems in the home such as:
  • High energy bills
    • Air leaks
    • Inefficient windows
    • Missing insulation
    • Inefficient cooling/heating equipment
    • Poorly insulated ducts
  • Mold and mildew
    • High humidity and water damage
  • Dust
  • Hot/cold rooms
    • Insulation
    • Air leaks
  • Medical costs by reducing:
    • Indoor allergens
    • Dust
    • Mold
    • Mildew
    • Pests
  • Reduce reliance on foreign natural gas and other fuels
The future of energy efficiency

Team Ohlde recently spoke with Barry Dicker of Decent Energy, an energy auditor in Kansas.  According to Barry, the real estate industry may change due to process like energy audits.  A new appendix has been written in regards to the appraisal process.  Appraisers now have the ability to value the energy efficiency of homes.  Unfortunately, only 5% of appraisers are actually trained to apply this appendix.  The team at Decent Energy, however, has experienced higher values in homes that have gone through the energy audit process. 

Finding an energy auditor near you
So you’re ready for the energy audit process.  Who should you contact?  Lucky for you, I have three local KS and MO contacts that would provide a great starting point to bring your home the energy efficiency it needs:

Home Green Home Energy Audits is a premier energy auditor for the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area including Raytown, Lee’s Summit, Independence, Blue Springs, Belton and Raymore in both Missouri and Kansas.  Home Green Home Energy Audits provides guaranteed prices complete with insulating services, weatherization, door and window replacement, plumbing, heating and air, remodeling and more.  Home Green Home Energy Audits charges about $400 for homes under 4000 square feet and approximately $600 for homes over 4000 square feet. 

The Hayes Company, located at 1000 East 11th Street in Kansas City, MO provides insulation and home performance solutions throughout the greater KC metro area.  A home energy evaluation from The Hayes Company ranges from a free estimate to a $150 walkthrough (with a blower-door test) to a full-on $400 energy assessment.  The $400 assessment includes a pre-test and computer analysis that calculates the savings in dollar amounts for each improvement recommended. 

Decent Energy, based out of Leawood, Kansas, serves both eastern Kansas and western Missouri commercial and residential energy audits.  Decent Energy works as an independent auditor and therefore, works with the homeowner to find the best contractors after the audit has been conducted.  The Decent Energy service includes a 13-month process of discussing homeowner comfort issues, visual inspection, measurements, assessment of safety zone issues and air leakage analysis with a blower-door tool.  In addition, the team at Decent Energy retests the home after the improvements have been made.  Decent Energy starts its service with a $550 baseline and then upcharges for additional furnaces (rather than pricing by square foot).