What the EPA Says About Radon in the U.S.
August 12, 2022

What the EPA Says About Radon in the U.S.

Radon is a radioactive, hazardous gas. As uranium decays, radon occurs naturally in the soil. Radon can enter your home through crawl spaces, sump pump basins, wall seams and cracks in concrete. You will never know if your home has radon unless you test for it

Just because you can’t see it or smell radon doesn’t mean it’s not deadly. If you own a home, you are likely familiar with radon testing, but many homeowners and renters throughout the country are unaware of radon’s risk. Continue reading to learn what the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has to say about radon.

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.

There Are Several Myths Associated with Radon

It’s important to know the facts when discussing radon.

Myth: Scientists aren’t sure radon really is a problem.

  • All major health organizations (the Centers for Disease Control, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, etc) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths each year. 

Myth: Homes with radon problems can’t be fixed.

  • Hundreds of thousands of homeowners have already fixed radon problems in their homes. Most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. Reach out to a radon mitigation company near you for effective solutions.

Myth: Radon testing is difficult, time consuming and expensive.

  • Radon testing is easy. You can test your home yourself, but hiring a qualified radon testing company is recommended.

Test Your Home for Radon

Radon levels are measured in pico-Curies per liter of air (pCi/L). 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 instance of radium decay 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 for you. 

  • 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.

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 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 against radon.