HOW RADON ENTERS YOUR HOME
R
adon is a naturally occurring
radioactive gas produced by the
breakdown of uranium in soil, rock,
and water. Air pressure inside your home
is usually lower than pressure in the soil
around your home's foundation. Because of
this difference in pressure, your home acts
like a vacuum, drawing radon in through
foundation cracks and other openings.
Radon also may be present in well water
and can be released into the air in your
home when water is used for showering
and other household uses. In most cases,
radon entering the home through water is
a small risk compared with radon entering
your home from the soil. In a small number
of homes, the building materials — such
as granite and certain concrete products
— can give off radon, although building materials rarely cause radon problems
by themselves. In the United States, radon gas in soils is the principal source of
elevated radon levels in homes.
RADON IS A CANCER-CAUSING,
RADIOACTIVE GAS
R
adon is estimated to cause tens of thousands of lung cancer deaths each
year. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second
leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. 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.
WHAT DO YOUR RADON TEST RESULTS MEAN?
A
ny radon exposure has some risk of causing lung cancer. The lower the
radon level in your home, the lower your family's risk of lung cancer.
The amount of radon in the air is measured in pCi/L.
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A Consumer's Guide To Radon Reduction
