Everything You Need to Know About Radon

When you breathe air containing high levels of radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. —EPA

By Sam Smith, Foundation Repair Consultant

Here are some quick statistics to give you an idea of the extent of the radon challenge:

• Radon cases around 21,000 deaths annually.

• Out of the estimated 21,000 deaths caused by radon each year, 2,900 occur to people that have never smoked.

• For every 15 homes in the US, one is estimated to have high levels of radon.

• The level of radon in any place is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends that any home or office measuring above 4.0 pCi/L needs to be fixed immediately. Those measuring between 2.0 pCi/L and 4.0 pCi/L need to be fixed soon.

• The estimated average radon level in the US is 1.3 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) indoors and 0.4 pCi/L outdoors.

• Some radon reduction systems can reduce levels by up to 99%.

But What is Radon?

Even though you can neither smell nor see radon, it could still exist in high levels in your home. These levels could be high enough to cause lung cancer.

The National Cancer Institute defines radon as “a radioactive gas released from the normal decay of the elements uranium, thorium, and radium in rocks and soil.” Adding, “It is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that seeps up through the ground and diffuses into the air.”

The Kansas State University’s National Radon Program Services reports that radon can be found in all the 50 states in the US. The same source adds that “Radon has a half-life of about four days—half of a given quantity of it breaks down every four days.”

According to the EPA, radon amounts in a specific place depend on soil chemistry, which differs from one house to the next. The EPA also adds that “the amount of radon that escapes from the soil to enter the house depends on the weather, soil porosity, soil moisture, and the suction within the house.”

Why Should You Be Concerned About Radon?

We need to be concerned about radon because where it is found in high levels, it escalates the risk of cancer for those living in such environments. Read More

Source: Regional Foundation Repair