Submitted by Camden Twoguns, Healthy Homes Program Manager
- How might you be affected by radon?
- How do you know if you have radon in your home?
Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas that forms when naturally occurring uranium in the soil breaks down and gets into the air you breathe. It cannot be felt when breathing it into you lungs. Radon may enter homes through cracks and holes in the basement or foundation and can become trapped and build up to dangerously high levels. It may be a problem in old and new homes. Prolonged exposure to radon can cause lung cancer in non-smokers and smokers alike. Higher radiation doses may result in children due to their smaller bodies and faster breathing rates compared to adults. The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year, making radon the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., after smoking.
How you can eliminate the risk of radon in you home:
Test your home for radon gas using a cheap and easy-to-use radon test kit purchased from your local hardware store. If indoor radon levels are 4pCi/L or higher, the EPA recommends using a certified radon specialist.
For more information about radon, visit the EPA’s website HERE.
