The News Front Podcast Explores Radon Risks and Mitigation in the Greater St. Louis Area
When I first moved to the St. Louis region years ago, a friend who worked in home inspection told me something that stuck: "You can't see it, you can't smell it, but radon gas could be the most dangerous thing in your basement." At the time, I nodded politely and forgot about it. It wasn't until I started looking into indoor air quality for my own house that I realized how serious the issue really is. Conversations around radon often get pushed aside by more visible home concerns, like mold or lead paint, but the science is clear: radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking.
That's exactly the kind of topic that deserves more attention, which is why I was glad to hear that The News Front Podcast recently dedicated an episode to the work of Air Sense Environmental, a company based in Edwardsville, IL that specializes in radon testing and radon mitigation. The episode goes beyond a simple company profile and digs into the realities of living in the Greater St. Louis bi-state metro, where geology and housing patterns combine to create a real need for awareness and action.
Why Radon Matters More Than You Think
Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium in soil, rock, and water breaks down. It seeps up through the ground and can enter buildings through cracks in foundations, gaps around pipes, or any opening in the lower levels of a structure. You can't detect it without specialized equipment, so the only way to know if your home has a problem is to test for it. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that nearly one in every 15 homes in the United States has elevated radon levels, and the number is higher in certain regions. The St. Louis area, with its mix of limestone bedrock and clay soils, sits in a zone where radon accumulation is a recurring concern.
Long-term exposure to high radon levels is linked to lung cancer, particularly in people who also smoke or have other respiratory conditions. That connection isn't speculative; it's based on decades of epidemiological studies and data from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, which oversees radon certification and mitigation standards in the state. The agency requires that professionals who perform radon testing or radon mitigation hold an IEMA certification, which means they have completed specific training and follow strict protocols. That level of oversight matters because the quality of a test or mitigation system can vary heavily depending on who does it.
Testing: Know Before You Mitigate
One of the points that stuck with me from the podcast episode is that testing is not a one-size-fits-all process. There are two main approaches: short-term tests and long-term tests. A short-term radon test typically uses a charcoal canister test or a continuous radon monitor, and it stays in place for two to seven days. It gives you a quick snapshot, which is useful if you're in the middle of a real estate transaction and need an answer fast. But radon levels can fluctuate with weather, seasons, and how the house is used. A long-term radon test measures for 90 days or more and gives a truer picture of your average exposure. Most experts recommend starting with a short-term test and, if levels are borderline, following up with a long-term one.
Air Sense Environmental, the company featured on The News Front Podcast, offers both types of testing. Their team uses continuous radon monitors for real-time data and also deploys charcoal canister tests for baseline readings. They operate across the bi-state metro, covering both Missouri and Illinois counties, which makes sense because radon doesn't respect state lines. The Edwardsville office, located just across the river from St. Louis, puts them in a good position to serve the entire region, from older homes in the city to newer construction in the suburbs.
Mitigation: How Sub-Slab Depressurization Works
If testing reveals elevated levels, the next step is mitigation. The most common and effective method for existing homes is sub-slab depressurization, sometimes called soil suction. The concept is straightforward but the execution requires careful engineering. A contractor drills a small hole through the concrete floor slab, creates a suction point beneath the house, and installs a fan that pulls radon-laden soil gas from under the foundation and exhausts it safely outside. The system creates a low-pressure zone that prevents radon from being drawn into the living space through cracks or pores.
What surprises many homeowners is that mitigation systems are not particularly intrusive. They can be installed in a day or two, and the only visible sign is usually a pipe running up the outside of the house and a small fan unit in the attic or garage. Maintenance is minimal: check the manometer (the liquid-filled gauge that shows the system is running) once a month and make sure the fan is working. Air Sense Environmental handles the full process, from initial assessment through system design and installation, and they hold IEMA certification for mitigation as well as testing. That certification is not just a piece of paper; it means the company has demonstrated its methods meet state standards for reducing radon to below the action level of 4 picocuries per liter of air.
The Broader Picture: Indoor Air Quality and Environmental Health
Radon is rarely the only indoor air quality concern in a home. High humidity, mold, volatile organic compounds from paints and cleaning products, and combustion gases from furnaces or water heaters can all affect respiratory health. The conversation on The News Front Podcast touched on how Air Sense Environmental approaches radon as part of a larger indoor air quality picture. They look at ventilation, moisture control, and the interaction between radon levels and other environmental factors. That holistic view matters because a radon mitigation system that works perfectly but doesn't account for moisture can create new problems, like encouraging mold growth inside walls.
For anyone living in the Greater St. Louis bi-state metro, especially those with basements, crawl spaces, or slab-on-grade foundations, getting a radon test is a low-cost step that can have major long-term benefits. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency provides a list of IEMA-certified professionals, and many county health departments offer discounted test kits. But knowing where to start and what the results mean often requires guidance from someone who does this work every day. That's where a company like Air Sense Environmental adds value, not just by running the numbers but by explaining them in plain English.
Practical Advice for Homeowners
If you're thinking about testing your home, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Test during the heating season if possible, because windows and doors stay closed and radon levels tend to be highest in cooler months.
- Place the test device in the lowest lived-in level of the home, not in a utility room or unfinished basement that is rarely occupied.
- Keep windows and exterior doors closed for at least 12 hours before and during the test, and avoid running ceiling fans or whole-house ventilation systems that could dilute the air.
- If you are buying or selling a home, ask for a radon test as part of the home inspection. Many buyers include it as a contingency in the contract.
These steps are standard advice from the EPA and IEMA, but they bear repeating because small mistakes in testing can produce misleading results. A test placed too close to a window, for example, might read artificially low and give a false sense of safety.
Radon is not a problem that will announce itself. It takes effort to find and fix. But the tools exist, the standards are clear, and companies like Air Sense Environmental are making the process accessible across the region. Episodes like the one on The News Front Podcast help bridge the gap between technical expertise and everyday life, giving homeowners the knowledge they need to take action. If you live in the bi-state metro and haven't tested your home yet, consider making this the year you do. It's one of the few things you can do that might literally save your life.