Radon gas is a radioactive gas which occurs naturally. It is inert, odorless, and colorless and therefore it cannot be traced by your senses. This gas can cause lung cancer; in fact, it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The EPA recommends radon levels below 4 pCi/L, and as many as one in three homes in the country have radon levels that exceed this limit.
That’s why it is important to conduct radon testing in your home. Once you get the radon test results, you can then determine if it is safe or not. If the radon level exceeds the EPA’s action level, then you are supposed to conduct a radon abatement for your safety.
There are several methods that can be used for radon mitigation or radon abatement. One of the most effective ways of mitigating radon is through ventilation. This can be done in several ways, which include increasing under-floor ventilation, improving ventilation in the house, installing radon sump system in the basement or under a solid floor, sealing floors and walls, and avoiding the passage of radon from the basement to the living areas. This is why it is normally advisable to hire a radon mitigation company. The cost of reducing radon that exists in a home is normally influenced by the size and the design of the home.
By reducing radon levels in homes that exceed the EPA’s action level, scientists have estimated that deaths associated with lung cancer could be reduced by a significant 2% to 4%. About 5,000 lives could be saved every year.
In many households, drinking water is normally obtained from underground sources such as wells, springs or boreholes. These sources normally have a higher concentration of radon than what is on the surface. This further increases the risk of lung cancer and stomach cancer. The WHO guidelines for drinking water quality recommends screening for radon. The guidelines further recommend implementing a national program which is aimed at radon mitigation for both the overall population and individuals living with high radon concentration.
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