Radon and Carbon Monoxide: Two Invisible Gases to Check in Your Wisconsin Home This Winter

Quick answer: Radon and carbon monoxide are both colorless, odorless gases that build up more easily in a sealed-up winter house. Carbon monoxide is an immediate danger from fuel-burning appliances, and the protection is working CO alarms and a serviced heating system. Radon is a long-term health risk that comes up from the ground, and the only way to know your level is to test. Wisconsin has elevated radon risk, so if your home has never been tested, winter is a good time to do it.

By November, most of us in Central Wisconsin have closed the windows for the year. The furnace is running, the fireplace is getting used, and the house fills up with family for Thanksgiving and the holidays. That's exactly when the air inside your home matters most.

Two gases deserve your attention this time of year. They're very different problems, but they have one thing in common: you won't know they're there unless you check.

Carbon Monoxide: The Short-Term Danger

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when fuel burns. Furnaces, boilers, gas water heaters, gas ranges, fireplaces, wood stoves, generators and cars in an attached garage can all produce it. When appliances are working properly and venting correctly, CO goes up the flue and out of the house. When something goes wrong, it doesn't.

Common winter causes I look for:

• Blocked or disconnected vent pipes. Snow and ice can cover the intake and exhaust pipes on high-efficiency furnaces and water heaters.
• Cracked heat exchangers on older furnaces
• Chimneys that haven't been cleaned or have debris or nests in them
• Cars warming up in an attached garage, even with the garage door open
• Generators or space heaters used indoors or too close to a window or door

Early CO poisoning symptoms are easy to mistake for the flu: headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue. If everyone in the house feels sick at home and better when they leave, take that seriously.

What to do this month:

• Test every CO alarm and replace batteries
• Check the manufacture date on each alarm and replace any that are past their service life
• Make sure there's a CO alarm on every level of the home and near sleeping areas
• Keep exterior furnace and water heater vents clear of snow all winter
• Have your heating system serviced by a licensed HVAC technician if you haven't already

If you haven't done your fall prep yet, my fall home checklist for Central Wisconsin covers the furnace, venting and alarms in more detail.

Radon: The Long-Term Risk

Radon is a different kind of problem. It's a natural radioactive gas produced when uranium in the soil and rock breaks down. Outdoors, it dissipates harmlessly. Inside a home, it can collect at much higher concentrations.

According to the EPA, radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer, second only to smoking. It doesn't cause symptoms, and it doesn't make you sick this week. The risk comes from breathing it over years.

Wisconsin is one of the states with a higher risk for elevated radon levels, and that includes homes across Wood, Portage, Marathon and the surrounding counties. Two houses on the same street can test very differently, so your neighbor's result doesn't tell you anything about yours.

A few things people often get wrong about radon:

• "My house doesn't have a basement, so I'm fine." Radon affects all foundation types: slab, crawl space and basement.
• "It's a new house, so it was built to handle that." New homes can have elevated radon too.
• "I tested once, years ago." Remodeling, finishing a basement, or changes to your heating and ventilation can change your levels. The EPA recommends retesting every couple of years and after major renovations.

Why Winter Is a Good Time to Test for Radon

Short-term radon tests are done under closed-house conditions: windows and exterior doors kept closed except for normal coming and going. In the summer, that's inconvenient. In a Wisconsin winter, you're living that way already.

Winter conditions also tend to pull more soil gas into a home. Warm air rises and escapes through the upper parts of the house, which creates a slight suction at the lowest level and draws air (and radon) in through cracks, sump pits and gaps around pipes. A winter test gives you a good picture of your home at its most closed-up.

At E&R Inspections and Appraisals, I use professional-grade radon testing equipment, and I'll walk you through what your results mean. The EPA recommends fixing your home if the level is 4 pCi/L or higher. If your levels come back elevated, don't panic: mitigation systems are effective, and I can provide mitigation referrals. You can read more on our radon testing service.

Buying a Home This Winter?

If you're under contract on a home in Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, Wausau or Marshfield this season, add a radon test to your inspection. Many lenders require one, and it's far easier to deal with an elevated result during your inspection period than after closing. Ask your agent to build the test time into your schedule.

A Simple Plan for the Season

1. This week: Test your CO alarms, replace batteries, and replace any expired units.
2. Before the holidays: Make sure your heating system has been serviced and your vents are clear.
3. This winter: Test for radon if your home has never been tested, or if it's been more than a couple of years.

Your family is going to spend a lot of time inside over the next few months. It's worth knowing the air is safe.

If you'd like to schedule a radon test, or an annual maintenance inspection that covers your safety systems, reach out to E&R Inspections and Appraisals. Request a quote online or contact us and we'll get you on the calendar.

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Eric Bjorkquist is a CCPIA Certified Commercial Inspector and InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector serving Central Wisconsin. Schedule an inspection at www.eandrinspection.com or call 715-213-4554.