Many people do not believe there are radon health risks. This is mostly because, like other environmental pollutants, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of radon health risks. However, unlike other pollutants, we know more about radon health risks than most other cancer-causing substances. There have been studies done on cancers in humans (underground miners) that estimate the radon health risks.
Radon gas decays into radioactive particles. These radioactive particles can get trapped inside of your lungs when you breathe. When they continue to break down further, the particles begin to release small bursts of energy. These bursts of energy cause damage to lung tissue. As the damage progresses, it can lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. This is not to say that everyone who is exposed to elevated levels of radon will definitely develop lung cancer, but like any health risk, exposure can lead to lung cancer. It also can take many years for the health risks of radon to become reality. This is because the amount of time between exposure & the onset of the disease can be many years.
If you are a smoker & are exposed to radon, your health risks seriously increase. You should stop smoking immediately & lower your radon levels to reduce your lung cancer risk.
It is reported that children have a greater risk to be diagnosed with certain types of cancer from radiation in comparison to adults. However, there has been no conclusive data on whether or not children have greater radon health risks than adults.
Your radon health risks are greatly influenced by:
– How much (what levels of) radon is in your home
– How much time you spend in your home (if you have high levels of radon)
– Whether you are currently a smoker or have smoked in the past
If you are unsure of your radon levels, setting up a test is easy. Give Trinity a call to schedule your radon test: 630-499-1492
