As we’ve stated several times, radon is an odorless, tasteless gas. It cannot be seen or touched. Even though it occurs naturally from the breakdown of uranium in rock & soil, it is a carcinogen. Long term radon exposure can lead to lung cancer.
There are over 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the US that are attributed to radon exposure each year. 3,000 of each of those deaths occur in people who have never smoked. The sad truth is, a lot of people don’t think that radon is a problem in their home.
It is almost like the fictitious monster in the minds of homeowners. They think radon exposure is a scare tactic used by companies to make an extra buck. In reality, approximately 5 out of 10 homes in Kendall County alone have tested for high levels of radon.
Being exposed to just the action limit (4.0 pCi/L) creates the same chance of being diagnosed with lung cancer as getting into a deadly car accident. The higher the levels of radon in your home, the more increased the risk is to your family. The good news is that there is a way to test for & remove radon, reducing your risk for exposure.
A licensed Radon Professional can tell you if you have increased levels of radon in your home. If you do, they can refer you to a Radon Mitigation Professional, or you can find one on the IEMA website. A company cannot both test & mitigate, because it is a conflict of interest. This helps to protect homeowners from any scams.
The Radon Mitigation Professional can install a radon reduction system. The radon reduction system helps to lower the levels of radon in your home. Doing so decreases your family’s risk of radon exposure, reducing the chances of being diagnosed with lung cancer.
Though radon exposure is an invisible monster, it is a very real one. Do you think that radon exposure is a real problem?
