Radon Gas & Lung Cancer

2008-04-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

What No One is Talking About

Fifty-five percent of our exposure to natural sources of radiation usually comes from radon. Radon is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that comes from the decay of uranium found in nearly all soils. Levels of radon vary throughout the country. Radon is found all over the United States and scientists estimate that nearly one out of every 15 homes in this country has radon levels above recommended action levels. For more information please visit the Cincinnati Ohio home inspectors page.

Below, is an EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) radon zone map with zone 1 (red) being the highest at risk and zone 3 (yellow) being the lowest at risk.

Radon usually moves from the ground up and migrates into homes and other buildings through cracks and other holes in their foundations. The buildings trap radon inside, where it accumulates and may become a health hazard if the building is not properly ventilated. A general home inspection such as the one performed by Dayton OH based House To Home Inspections LLC. can give indications of proper ventilation.

When you breathe air containing a large amount of radon, the radiation can damage your lungs and eventually cause lung cancer. Scientists believe that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 7,000 to 30,000 Americans die each year from radon-induced lung cancer. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths and smokers exposed to radon are at higher risk than nonsmokers. Testing your home is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. For more about radon testing, please visit http://mycincinnatiohiohomeinspector.com