A hidden danger NJ homeowners with basements should know about

There's nothing like home ownership, especially in New Jersey. Although it's expensive to live here, those of us in The Garden State find ways to make it work.

But it's also important to learn everything you can about the area you're about to move to. This includes learning about the environment around your home.

Even things like the torrential rains New Jersey experienced during the final weekend of 2023 can play an important role when it comes to this hidden hazard. And no, it doesn't have to do with basement flooding (although that's still important).

It's something my wife and I learned of when we moved into our current home, and those torrential rains we had in April only furthered the importance of this particular issue.

Here's how we learned about this hidden hazard.

I remember when we purchased our current home in Monmouth County. It was back in 2015 only a few months before our twin boys were about to be born.

We planned to move in during the month of May. An absolutely perfect time of year weatherwise to adjust to our new home.

After all of the negotiations were done, all we had to do was wait on final inspections. But it was the inspection itself that revealed this potential danger.

Our home has a fully-finished basement, which is one of the things that sealed the deal for us. Not only was it beautifully finished, but it also had high ceilings, which I was a fan of considering I'm over 6 feet tall.

But aside from that, it's what the test revealed that was concerning. And it was something we didn't know about at all until this point.

At the time, our basement had elevated levels of radon. Not anything in the danger category, but high enough to where the previous owners had to install a mitigator, which is a system that helps vent and lower radon levels.

For those who may not know, radon is a radioactive gas that naturally occurs in our soils thanks to the breakdown and decomposition of radioactive materials. It's also present above the surface but in very trace amounts.

At trace levels, radon gas isn't harmful to humans. But when levels are elevated, it can become deadly.

So deadly in fact that radon gas is a major cause of lung cancer in people who don't smoke. And this colorless, odorless gas can be problematic below the surface, such as in basements and cellars.

The gas finds its way through the foundation of the building. Because of the pressure differences between the space in the home and the ground, radon gasses are drawn into your underground living space.

Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), but what's more important for homeowners is the number of the measurement. Essentially, you don't want that number to go above 3.00 pCi/L.

If it goes to 4.00 pCi/L or higher, stay out. I don't recall how high the levels were that required mitigation efforts before we could move in, but it certainly was high enough to raise concerns.

The good news is, it's not too difficult to control the radon gas levels in a basement or cellar. Once a radon removal system is installed, it can really help reduce the levels by safely reducing the amount of gas that enters your house.

With that said, there are still some things to keep in mind even if you have a removal system. Radon gas levels are variable, meaning some days they'll be higher than others.

The winter season is when radon gases tend to be highest, but it doesn't mean you're out of the woods the other three seasons. The weather also plays a big role.

The final weekend of April 2023 is a perfect example. April 29 and 30 saw insanely torrential rain across the Garden State, which prompted flooding in many parts of New Jersey.

Because the rain was so heavy for so long, it triggered much higher levels of radon gases in the soils. After the second day of steady, heavy rain, our basement radon levels rose from around 0.50 pCi/L to around 3.70 pCi/L.

That is a major spike and one that essentially told us to stay out of our basement until the rain was over and the levels dropped back down. Fortunately, thanks to that radon inspection when we moved in, we had a radon monitor to tell us what the levels were.

If it weren't for that, we would've had no idea since radon gas is odorless and colorless. We were fortunate that our radon test was performed when it was raining, otherwise, we may never have known the radon level could get so high in our basement.

Being this radioactive gas is deadly to people, I wanted to bring awareness to all homeowners, or those looking to buy a home, of this in case they were unaware like we were. Radon gas is no joke, and it's very present here in the Garden State.

Yes, some places might have it worse than others, and some areas might remain at safe levels even after days of summer rains. But other homes might spike beyond safe levels and the homeowner might not even be aware.

So if you have a basement or cellar and aren't sure, it might be a good idea to get it checked just to be safe. And if possible, try to have the test done when it's raining.

It doesn't mean the home is unsafe to live in, but it is important to be aware of and know if radon levels in your basement or cellar potentially rise to unsafe levels.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.