Although it's a significant risk factor for lung cancer, many people do not know much about radon gas. Most are unaware of the dangers of radon, but fortunately, radon awareness is starting to get better and more people are starting to test their homes. Educating yourself and knowing what radon is and why it's dangerous is the best way to keep yourself safe from harmful gas. Taking precautionary measures with radon testing and mitigation will help ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones against the dangers of residential radon exposure. In the article below, we will look at what radon is and why it's dangerous.
What Is Radon?
Radon gas is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is produced by the decay of uranium in soil, rock, and water, and can accumulate in indoor air, particularly in places like basements and ground floors that are in contact with or close to the ground.
Radon is considered a health hazard because it is a carcinogen, which means it can lead to lung cancer after prolonged exposure. In fact, after smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in many countries. The risk of cancer depends on the level of radon and the duration of exposure, as well as whether you smoke or not.
To minimize the risks associated with radon exposure, many countries recommend radon testing in homes. If high levels are found, there are mitigation techniques available to reduce radon levels, such as improving the ventilation of the house, sealing floors and walls, and installing radon mitigation systems that reduce radon levels by venting radon-laden air from beneath the building.
Monitoring and mitigating radon is important for public health, and awareness of radon's risks and the means to control it can significantly reduce the incidence of radon-induced lung cancer.
Testing Your Home For Radon
You'll be pleased to know that testing your home for radon is simple and inexpensive.
You can buy radon test kits at hardware stores, home improvement stores, big box stores, and online, but most people prefer to work with radon professionals.
Radon tests will vary, but to test your home, you open the test and leave it sitting for a few days in the lowest level of your house and then send it off to a lab for testing.
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). Indoors, the average radon level in the United States is right around 1.3 pCi/L. Outdoors is about 0.4 pCi/L. The action level for radon gas is at or above 4 pCi/L, but there is no safe level of radon besides 0. If your home has radon gas levels exceeding this action level, you need to undergo mitigation efforts to reduce your exposure and lower your lung cancer risk. While any level of radon can harm your health, the EPA says readings below 2 pCi/L only carry a small increased risk of lung cancer. It's possible but challenging to reduce radon gas below these levels.
Radon Mitigation
Radon mitigation is easier than most people think. Instead of just trying to seal your house to avoid dangerous radon levels, the most common mitigation method diverts the radon gas from under the basement floor through a pipe to the outside. It exits your home through the roof like a chimney or through the wall like a vent. Once the gas is outdoors, it dissipates and is no longer a hazard. Radon mitigation systems costs will vary but average between $800 and $1,500.If dangerous radon levels are found in your home, radon mitigation is a necessary expense to reduce your risk of cancer and other health risks. If dangerous radon levels are found in your home, radon mitigation is a necessary expense to reduce your risk of cancer and other health risks.
Contact A Professional Radon Company
If you are worried about the dangers and risks of radon and long-term exposure, you need to contact us today and we will get your home tested for radon.