For most people, carbon monoxide is common knowledge. There have been countless news stories depicting entire families who have died as the result of carbon monoxide poisoning as they sleep. Most people these days have carbon monoxide detectors in the home. What you do not hear about much is radon gas.
Just like carbon monoxide, radon is a gas that has no or odor, making it virtually undetectable. Radon is responsible for many deaths each year, just like carbon monoxide. We can easily prevent these deaths with simple radon testing. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are studies that definitively link radon gas in homes to lung cancer. As a matter of fact, radon is responsible for some 20,000 deaths each year among non-smokers who have lung cancer.
There is one major difference between carbon monoxide and radon – you cannot monitor the level of radon in your home using a detector as you can with carbon monoxide. The only way to detect radon is through testing. According to recent estimates, about 1 in 15 homes in the United States have elevated levels of radon. It does not matter which state you are in, whether the home is new or old construction, with or without a basement. Radon is a carcinogen that is in the air and it is a question of how much you are breathing.
Radon is the result of natural decay of uranium in soil, rocks and water. The gas is radioactive and present in the outdoor air. It makes it’s way into homes through cracks in the foundation and the walls of the home. According to EPA beliefs, the gas actually makes its way into the home through soil that is in contact with the basement floors and walls. As the gas makes its way up through the ground and into your home, it becomes trapped. It then begins to build up and pollute the air in the home.
The good thing about this invasion of the gas, is that it is easy to test for the gas. The process takes just a few days and if the findings are that high levels of radon is present, you can then take steps to hire a radon contractor to start remediation processes. You can contact AllStar Property` Inspection today to order a radon test for your home.
Thanks for sharing. As the National Cancer Institute notes, “Long-term exposure to radon can lead to lung cancer.” It is long term exposure that matters, so it’s never really too late to check your home for radon. At the very least, you might find out you do have high radon levels, allowing you to take action to protect your home.
Regards,
Kurt