Examining the Relationship between Weatherization and Indoor Radon Levels – Health Policy Implications for Low-Income Communities

Millions of homes will be retrofitted in the coming years to make them more energy efficient and green. When energy efficiency efforts are integrated with healthy home activities, government policy makers can lower the costs of these programs by eliminating duplicated or even at times contrary effort and sharing administrative costs. Integration also can help programs work together to meet common goals and avoid potential conflicts. To support integrated energy and healthy homes programming, we supported the development of protocols for the Environmental Protection Agency that provide practical guidance on assessing, maintaining and even improving IAQ and related health issues during home energy upgrades, retrofits or remodeling. To explore the challenges programs face when upgrading the energy efficiency of homes while maintaining IAQ, we analyzed the relationship between weatherization activities and indoor radon levels.

The potential impact of weatherization programs on indoor radon levels has public health implications for the entire population, but low-income communities may face a higher risk because of the nature of the weatherization program and their economic status:

• The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program targets low-income homes, helping to improve the energy efficiency of these homes while lowering the home’s energy bills. However, tightening homes with high radon levels without properly assessing the radon level or taking the necessary steps to mitigate or vent the radon, may result in an increased cancer risk for the occupants.
• While radon mitigation is not very expensive, it may be more than many low-income families can afford. Furthermore, many low-income families rent their homes and may not be able to make the structural changes required to lower indoor radon levels.

Our research examines the relationship between weatherization activities and indoor radon levels and the implications for implementing the healthy indoor environment protocols.