Though you can’t see, smell or taste radon, it may be present at dangerous levels in your home.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by
the breakdown of uranium in soil, rocks and water. Since the air pressure in a typical home is lower than the pressure in the soil around the foundation,
the home acts like a vacuum and draws radon in through cracks in the foundation. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and causes
over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
Radon may also be present in your water source and can be released into the air when water is used for general household purposes such as showering, or
ingested when drinking. Testing for radon is the only way to determine whether your indoor air quality and/or water are affected.
According to the EPA, radon gas levels can vary by day, season and geographic area. The radon levels in your home can even be different from those in your
next door neighbor’s home. Therefore, all potential home buyers, current homeowners and home sellers should have their homes tested for radon.
The EPA recommends testing for radon under the following circumstances:
- The home was never tested.
- The home was tested more than two years ago.
- The home was renovated since it was last tested.
- You plan to occupy a lower level of the home than what was originally tested, such as the basement.
To test a home for radon, you can order a kit by mail from a qualified radon measurement service provider, purchase a radon kit from a local hardware store
or hire a qualified radon tester (often also a home inspector). Use this map to check your area for radon levels.
Thanks for reading. Do you have a radon detector installed in your home?
