South Carolinians Against Lung Cancer Presents Radon Awareness Month

Why should I think about radon?

Any home can have a radon gas problem. Homes can trap radon inside where it can build up. If you breathe radon in, it can change the cells in your lungs. These changes can increase your chances for getting lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year.

What is radon?

Radon is a gas. You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. It comes from the breakdown of naturally occurring uranium or radium. Radon gets into your home through cracks and holes in the foundation, construction joints, and plumbing fixtures. Radon may also enter your home in the water you use. It can be released into the air you breathe when water is used for showering and other household uses. Radon in water is generally not a problem in homes served by public water systems. It has been found in private well water in areas with rocks that contain uranium or radium.

How can I know if there is radon in my home?

The only way to know if you have a radon problem is to test your home. You can test for radon yourself. Testing is easy and should only take a few minutes. Test kits can be purchased from most home improvement stores, or you can hire a certified radon tester.
There are two types of radon tests:

• Short-term test devices offer a quick and cheap way to test for radon. Short-term tests take from two to 90 days (depending on the device used). Lab results usually take two to four weeks. The results only measure what the radon levels were during the test period.
• Long-term test device stays in place for more than 90 days. The results from a long-term test give a better picture of actual radon exposure

What do the radon test results mean?

The EPA says that any radon exposure carries some risk. The amount of radon in your home is measured in pico Curies per liter of air (pCi/L). The EPA recommends that there be no more than 4 pCi/L of radon in your home. This is referred to as the “action level.” The action level is the point where the risk of radon exposure justifies the cost of repairs. However, because there is no completely safe level of radon, the EPA also recommends that you consider fixing your home if you find radon levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L.

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