Radon Exposure

By Connie Hogue, Director of Human Resources and Safety

When it comes to improving your health in the new year, one important step could be right under your nose or feet. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to radon accounts for about 21,000 deaths from lung cancer each year and is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who don’t smoke. The EPA has also designated January as National Radon Action Month, a time when health agencies across the country urge all Americans to have their homes tested for radon.

What is Radon?

Radon is an odorless and invisible gas that occurs naturally outdoors, typically in harmless amounts. It enters homes and buildings through cracks in the foundation, floors, walls, construction joints or gaps around service pipes. Levels are typically highest in the basement or crawlspace. It is produced from a natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. People who breathe in these radioactive particles, swallow water with high radon levels or are exposed to radon for a long period of time are susceptible to lung damage and lung cancer.

Radon Exposure

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control stated smokers who are exposed to elevated levels of radon gas have a 10 times higher risk of developing lung cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, about one in 15 homes in the U.S. has radon levels at or above the EPA action level. You can't see or smell radon, and, once exposed, symptoms can take a while to appear. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer from radon exposure can include a persistent cough, hoarseness, wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, chest pains and frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.

Reducing Radon in Your Home

The American Cancer Society says a variety of methods can be used to reduce radon gas levels in your home, including sealing cracks in floors and walls and increasing ventilation though sub-slab depressurization using pipes and fans. If you believe there is radon in your home, testing can be done and is the only way to determine how much radon is in your home.

Pick up a test kit - Short-term and long-term test kits are available, with the long-term kit producing more accurate results. Do-it-yourself test kits also are available at many local hardware stores.

Hire a professional tester – The EPA suggests that you choose a qualified radon mitigation contractor, because lowering high radon levels often requires technical expertise and special skills. Visit the Ohio Department of Health’s website to find a licensed radon tester and/or radon mitigation contactor in your area.

Radon is a serious issue that requires attention sooner rather than later. With January being National Radon Action Month, this is a great way to kick off the new year by testing your home for radon and following EPA recommendations for an effective solution to keeping your family safe and healthy all year long.

Radon poisoning builds up very slowly in your body. All too often radon poisoning symptoms don't appear until you already have cancer or are quite close. Therefore, it is best to test for radon early, even if you haven't noticed symptoms yet.