By Emily Miller
This month, the American Lung Association (ALA) is urging you to protect your home from the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States – radon.
Radon is a naturally-occurring gas that forms when uranium breaks down to radium, which in turn breaks down to form radon. As radon decays, it releases byproducts that are inhaled and could cause lung cancer.
Exposure to radon causes no immediate symptoms, but prolonged exposure could lead to a threat of lung cancer.
Radon-related lung cancers are responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths in the United States every year, according to the ALA. People who have never smoked make up approximately 2,900 of the estimated 21,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths each year.
The true hazard of radon comes from the radioactive particles that are emitted as radon decay, which can be inhaled into the lung and bombard your cells with dangerous, cancer-causing radiation.
A simple, inexpensive test can detect if your home has unsafe radon levels. You can start by purchasing a low-cost, do-it-yourself radon testing kit at your local hardware store, which will give you a quick look at radon concentrations in just a few days.
However, if you desire a more accurate reading, you can install an EPA approved, long-term radon measuring device that will deliver a more accurate assessment of the radon levels in your home.
Hiring a licensed, certified radon-testing professional to install your testing kit is another option, if you want to ensure complete accuracy.
The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon levels indoors if concentrations exceed four picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). Keep in the mind that the EPA has yet to reveal a safe level of radon exposure, so treat every reading with care.
If your house shows high levels of radon, don’t worry – you can fix the problem.
The first plan of action should be to keep additional radon from coming into your home. This can be done through a variety of methods including sealing cracks in flood and walls to changing the flow of air into your home.
If you are building a new home or remodeling an old one, consider installing a simple ventilation system that can protect your family from radon gas getting into your home.
However, it is important to contact an EPA-qualified or state-certified radon contractor before doing so, as they can evaluate the situation and select the solution.
Regardless of your geographical location, everyone could benefit from radon testing as no one area is more prone to radon than another. Everyone in the United States has an equal chance of having a home with high levels of radon. The EPA estimates that nearly one out of every fifteen homes in the U.S. has unsafe indoor radon levels.
Another reason why everyone should test for radon is because your home could be exposed to high levels of radon while your neighbor’s does not. It is a case-by-case scenario.
On a final note, the ALA mentions that thousands of lung cancer deaths could be avoided every year if homes with elevated radon underwent changes to reduce radon pollution.
