Green Real Estate in Idaho

Radon seems to come and go as a “news” item depending on where you are in the country. As you may know, radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when Uranium breaks down and is found in most rocks and soil. Like carbon monoxide, you can not see it, taste it, or smell it and it can be extremely dangerous in enclosed spaces. It really can’t be stated enough that you really should know if you have significant levels of radon in your home so that you can deal with the problem before it becomes a real hazard to your health.

Radon is everywhere, but when outdoors it is usually diluted to low levels. To put it simply, radon becomes a problem in homes when it builds up and is not ventilated posing health risks to those occupying the home. For a much more complete explanation of the problem check out the information posted by the Idaho Health & Welfare. You can also see a radon map for the state of Idaho to see where the highest concentrations have been found.

It is a good idea to test for the presence of radon in your home, if found, there are contractors that can assist you in mitigating the problem to keep your family safe. You can even get a free radon test if you are a resident of Idaho from the department of health and welfare. Fill out the form and get your test; the life you save may be your own.

This afternoon, within the last hour or so, the much debated financial bailout bill which failed to pass the house by 12 votes on Monday, was signed by the president George W. Bush. The financial fallout on Wall Street after Mondays defeat (DOW loosing almost 800 points) combined with the tightening of the credit market seems to have given many representatives pause and brought them back to the table to put something into action. The DOW continues to fall however, currently almost 158 points down for the day. Investors still unclear where exactly we go from here.

The issue now remains to see exactly how much and how quickly this plan will grease the wheels and get things moving again. Hopefully this will be the catalyst or tipping point for things to begin levling out and restore consumer confidence, bring buyers down off the fence. I remain optimistic that the second quarter of 2009 (here in the Treasure Valley at least) will see a marked improvement for the housing market.