Is radon gas a real threat?

Is radon gas a real threat?

Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Breathing radon over time increases your risk of lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Nationally, the EPA estimates that about 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer.

What is the average level of radon found in homes in the US?

about 1.3 pCi/L
The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels.

Is radon a problem in new homes?

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause health issues. The good news is that it’s very, very inexpensive and easy to ensure radon doesn’t cause you any problems if you’re building a new home. In most cases, it takes just three hours or less and some simple pipe to eliminate worry.

Is it safe to live in a house with radon?

If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear. People who smoke and are exposed to radon are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer.

Does radon pass through concrete?

Radon, soil gasses, and water vapor will easily pass through any openings, cracks, gaps, drains, or thin concrete (rat slabs) in the basement.

What is radon gas and how dangerous is it?

Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Radon gas is inert, colorless and odorless. Radon is naturally in the atmosphere in trace amounts. Outdoors, radon disperses rapidly and, generally, is not a health issue.

How many people die from Radon each year?

Nationally, the EPA estimates that about 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. You can take steps to reduce and control the amount of radon in your home. Testing is the only way to determine radon levels.

Is radon remediation worth the risk?

The very low action level has been causing undue fear and unwarranted costs to many homeowners as well as a reduction in the market prices of their radon-stigmatized homes. It should also be noted that radon remediation significantly increases lung cancer mortality.

Do low radon levels really cause cancer?

This model which many scientists say is baseless and should be scrapped predicts an alarming excess of cancers, even at low radon levels. Little publicity, however, has been given to the studies that actually measured home radon levels and examined the lung cancer incidence of the residents. And that should change.