Radon is a radioactive gas that has been attributed to causing lung cancer over time. It can be an intimidating issue for new and long-time homeowners alike, especially when buying or selling a home. Radon is tasteless, colorless and odorless, and exists in all 50 states.
The only way to definitively know that radon is present is by testing for it. Maybe you heard your neighbor got their home tested for radon and that their radon levels are high. Should you be worried? Read on to find out.
Radon is a Health Risk
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer according to the EPA and Surgeon General. Lung cancer kills thousands of Americans every year.
- Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually.
- Around 2,900 of those deaths occur among people who have never smoked.
- The risk of radon is especially significant for smokers because radon and smoking have a synergistic effect; the existence of one maximizes the effect of the other.
- Smokers exposed to radon are almost 10 times more likely to die of lung cancer.
Understand How Radon is Measured
Radon levels are measured in pico-Curies per liter of air (pCi/L) using a radon gas detector. A Curie is an internationally recognized unit of radioactivity which shows us the number of decays per second of active radium. Even though we can’t see it happening, each decay of radium produces a micro-explosion that damages living tissue, especially our lungs. The EPA recommends testing your home to get an accurate idea of its radon levels. After your test, it is important to know what the radon levels in your home mean beyond the numeric values.
- Less than 2.7 pCi/L
This radon level is relatively low. 0.4 pCi/L is the average level of natural outdoor radon.
- 2.7-4 pCi/L
Even though the EPA considers 4 pCi/L to be the magic number for taking action against radon, the World Health Organization recommends mitigation at 2.7 pCi/L or higher. If your radon levels are in this range, think about how often you spend time in the lowest level of your home and what you do there. The closer your nose is to the floor, the more at risk you are.
- 4 pCi/L or Higher
If your home is in this range, you are in danger of lung damage and cancer if you don’t take action. For context, radon levels this high equate to smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day. Get in touch with a radon mitigation company to get radon levels in your home back to a safe amount.
Test for Radon to Know if Your Home’s Levels Are High
Your home (and its radon reading) is completely independent of your neighbor’s, so just because they have high radon levels doesn’t necessarily mean you do too. Even though the culprit during high radon level readings is typically the soil beneath the house, your home’s unique structure can impact how radon is trapped and released. Testing your home is the only way to know if you have high radon levels, so it is always best to err on the side of caution. Get in touch with a team of radon specialists to test your home for radon, as well as ensure radon gas detectors and a good radon mitigation system is installed.
Protect Yourself with Radon Crew
Don’t risk it—make sure your home is safe today. We are dedicated to making sure your home and its occupants are protected from the dangers of radon. Our team will not only test for radon, but also install radon gas detectors to monitor radon levels, and a radon mitigation system to remove it from your home. We will help you find the best solution for your unique situation: at Radon Crew, we offer a host of testing processes differing in duration, budget, and depth of analysis, depending on your particular needs. Radon gas detectors and radon mitigation systems should be at the top of your list to protect your family from radon gas leaks.
Regardless of the age of your home, radon testing is an urgent matter that should not be taken lightly. Visit our website today to find out more about radon mitigation systems as well as our suite of radon services so you can keep yourself protected.