The Radon Guy, LLC

Radon is a cancer causing, radioactive gas. You can’t see radon and you can’t smell it or taste it. Radon is estimated to cause thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon gas, it causes damage to the tissue in your lungs. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. Radon can be found all over the U.S. Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe.  It can get into any type of building (homes, schools, businesses, basements, slab on grade, crawlspaces) and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time. Test for radon is highly recommended. Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools. Testing is inexpensive and easy. 

Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above. The Radon gets into your home through cracks and other holes in the floor and foundation but can also percolate though the concrete. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

Studies Finds Direct Evidence Linking Radon in Homes to Lung Cancer

Two studies (2005) show definitive evidence of an association between residential radon exposure and lung cancer. A North American study and a European study, both combined data from several previous residential studies. These two studies go a step beyond earlier findings. 

Early in the debate about radon-related risks, some researchers questioned whether occupational studies could be used to calculate risks from exposure to radon in the home environment. “These findings effectively end any doubts about the risks to Americans of having radon in their homes,” said Tom Kelly, Former Director of EPA’s Indoor Environments Division. “We know that radon is a carcinogen. This research confirms that breathing low levels of radon can lead to lung cancer.”

• Abstract of the pooling of North American Residential Radon studies
• Abstract of the pooling of the European Residential Radon studies
• Read a study by Dr. William Field on radon-related lung cancer in women.