Radon is a radioactive gas produced from the natural decay of uranium found in soil, rock, and water. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it impossible to detect without specialized equipment. When radon is released from the ground, it can enter your home through cracks and gaps in the foundation and accumulate to dangerous levels.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause overall. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Therefore, it is vital to test your home for radon to ensure that you and your family are not being exposed to harmful levels of this gas.
Radon testing is the only way to determine if your home has elevated radon levels. The radon levels can vary significantly from house to house, even in the same neighborhood. Therefore, relying on radon data from other homes cannot determine your home’s radon levels.
Finally, if high radon levels are found in your home, effective mitigation methods are available to reduce the levels and protect you and your family’s health. But without testing, you will not know if these measures are necessary.
Testing your home for radon is a simple and essential step to ensure your household’s safety.