Radon is an odorless and colorless radioactive gas that is created when radioactive metals thorium, uranium, or radium break down in the soil, groundwater, and rocks. Exposure to radon can be experienced by people through breathing air with radon that seeps through cracks and gaps in homes and buildings. Being exposed to radon is inevitable as it is one of the natural gases on earth, but inhaling air with dangerous levels is not a good thing.
Apart from cigarette smoking, radon exposure is considered to be the second leading cause of lung cancer. About 20,000 cases of lung cancer every year are attributed to radon gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the Surgeon General’s Office have estimated that as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths are caused each year by radon.
Further studies show that about one in 15 U.S. homes is estimated to have radon levels at or above the US EPA action level. The US EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in homes that have a radon level at or above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. Scientists estimate that lung cancer death could be reduced by 2 to 4 percent, or about 5,000 deaths, by lowering radon levels in homes exceeding the EPA’s action level.
This is the main reason why it is important to conduct radon testing in homes and buildings with the help of radon testing contractors. The health and safety of the dwellers are at stake and this concern needs to be addressed with priority. Radon mitigation and abatement are possible and this is done by hiring a professional radon testing contractor who can do the job right to make the residents safe from exposure.
Radon testing and inspection will trigger further actions to control the levels of this radioactive gas in the surroundings. If found that radon levels are higher than the acceptable levels according to EPA, a professional needs to be called to fix your home.
These professionals aim to check on the ventilation to ensure that clean and safe air is available for the residents of the building. Usually, radon issues are solved using an improved ventilation system placed underground or by increasing the rate of air changes in the establishment.
Keep your family safe from radon exposure and call on the nearest radon testing contractor today.
