RATHDRUM - Roxanne Chase thought she had covered all the bases to ensure the best air quality inside her new Rathdrum home.

Then she watched Dr. Oz.

The TV show covered the dangers of radon, a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in rocks and soil, and how to test for it.

"I didn't think we'd have a problem, but I thought, 'Let's just rule it out,'" said Chase, who along with her 7-year-old daughter has asthma.

She paid $12 for a test kit and, when the results came back from the laboratory, she was shocked.

The home tested for 221 picocuries of radon per liter of air, and 4 is the level of health concern.

Chase said, had she known radon can be a problem in Kootenai County with its porous soil, she would have gladly spent the extra $500 or so to have a radon-ready system installed in her home when it was built more than a year ago.

She recently had a company install a system for about $1,600. She and her family had to temporarily move out of their home while the work was done.

"It wasn't really about the money, although it would have been nice to have the cost as part of the home loan process rather than have to pay out of pocket," Chase said. "It just wasn't an option to us (up front)."

Chase said she's frustrated that information on radon slipped through her entire home buying experience and wants other homeowners to be aware of the gas. Since it's odorless, tasteless and invisible, it can't be detected unless testing is done. And, making it even more elusive, breathing it doesn't result in symptoms such as headaches, colds or breathing difficulties. It's also possible that one home has potentially harmful levels and others in the neighborhood don't. Excessive radon levels can be found in both newer and old homes and in homes with and without basements.

"I assumed that building codes would cover something like this," Chase said.

Radon numbers

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, causing more than 20,000 deaths per year in the United States, according to the Department of Health and Welfare.

Kootenai and Shoshone are some of the most susceptible counties. Of homes that have been tested, 63 percent in Kootenai County and 56 percent in Shoshone County tested at or above the 4 pCl/L set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to IDHW. The percentage in Bonner County is 28, Benewah 21 and Boundary 13.

The amount of radon indoors depends on how easily it can travel through the soil, how a building is constructed and the amount in the soil below the building.

IDHW spokesman Thomas Shanahan said radon needs to be addressed at the local, not state level, because the amounts vary widely across the state.

"It is determined by geology," Shanahan said. "Because of this, building codes need to be addressed at a local level where radon is an issue."

Radon systems aren't required in new homes in Kootenai County.

Shanahan said IDHW's radon program works with builders, local government leaders, inspectors and Realtors in educating them about radon.

Debbie Myles, president of the Coeur d'Alene Area Multiple Listing Service, said Realtors recommend home inspections to buyers and most advise them about radon. Sellers will often also have a pre-inspection done before putting the home on the market.

"That's a great way to list your home," she said.

However, testing is ultimately up to the homeowner. It's not required of builders before people move in, nor is it part of a regular home inspection. It's an add-on that costs about $100 extra, said Vince Vargas, an inspector.

Should more be done?

Vargas believes radon testing should be required on home inspections and of day care and nursing centers.

"If a home buyer doesn't test for it, it can affect their health," he said. "But, also, when you go to sell, the new buyer may have it tested, so sooner or later, it's going to come out."

Vargas said many people have become "numb" to radon.

"They say, 'Oh, it's just another EPA thing,' but you've got to pay attention to it," he said. "People should be more concerned about radon than mold."

Dave Gerard, owner of Advanced Radon Technologies, said the floods from Lake Missoula play a role in this area being known for high radon levels.

"All of this dirt is glacial tilled," he said.

He believes there should be better safeguards in place for local homeowners.

"Radon is the worst environmental hazard that you can be exposed to in a household setting," he said. "But it's out of sight, out of mind. Every house bought should be tested for radon, but only about 15 percent are."

Rod Underhill, president of the North Idaho Building Contractors Association, calls radon a "limited problem" and doesn't believe systems should be required in every new home.

He said most homeowners decline on a system when they're asked about it. He said in the 30 years he's been building he only recalls one being built with the system.

"Generally, people would rather spend the money on something else," he said.

Underhill encourages homeowners to open the vents to their crawl space each spring, but also advises them of the potential effects of radon.

Chase said that while opening the vents helped her home, it still tested for 60 pCl/L after they had been open for several days.

Some counties with high levels have started taking action.

Blaine County has a bulding code that addresses radon for new construction and remodels, while Teton County is developing one. Spokane County also addresses radon in its building code.

"Kootenai County could look at something similiar," Shanahan said. "It is much cheaper (for the homeowner) to address radon during new construction than in trying to remedy an existing structure."

But, in an economy where keeping home prices down is key, that may be a tall order.

"In this market, we're trying to build down (to price)," Underhill said. "And not every house has a problem."

Glenn Miller, Rathdrum's building official, said radon concerns need to be kept in perspective.

"Radon in new construction is undetectable because it has not had a chance to build up to necessary levels of detection," he said. "Systems need to be installed properly or they could cause a negative pressure in the house, causing the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning."

Chase said while it's unfortunate she wasn't aware of the potential effects of radon earlier, she believes the price for the test was money well spent and hopes other homeowners consider it. The state offers free test kits during certain times of the year.

"The majority of my neighbors and family were under the same impression I was (that building codes would address the issue)," Chase said. "It's all about awareness."