Radon

• What is radon? Radon is a gas emitted from the earth caused by the breakdown of uranium. It is odorless, tasteless and cannot be seen. Radon is present in nearly all soils and very low levels of radon are in the air that we breathe every day.

• What is the danger of radon? Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon becomes an issue when it enters into your home and becomes trapped. Radon poses its biggest threat to our health in the context of long-term exposure at high levels. According to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General's Office, when these conditions are present, radon is known to cause lung cancer and can be linked to over 20,000 lung cancer related deaths annually. Radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or more are what the EPA considers to be most threatening. However, levels lower than this may still pose a threat.

• Testing for radon: Testing for radon is the only way to know for sure what the radon levels being emitted into your home are. There are no immediate symptoms able to alert you of the presence of radon. Typically, symptoms of radon do not present themselves until years of prolonged exposure. The US EPA, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, and National Safety Council recommend testing your home for radon as this is the only way to know your home’s radon levels. Radon is a health issue nationwide. Elevated levels have been discovered in every state and it is even speculated that across the nation, 1 in every 5 homes has elevated levels of radon present. Others studies equate this to being around 8 million homes nationwide.

To schedule your radon inspection now, click here.