November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Test Your Home for Radon
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Test Your Home for Radon
November is lung cancer awareness month worldwide. Now is the time to bring additional attention and focus to radon induced lung cancer, the cancer that kills more people than breast and prostate cancers combined. Lung cancer from elevated levels of radon causes over 21,000 deaths each year in the United States. Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from normal decay of uranium, thorium, and radium in rocks and soil. Radioactive particles are released into the air and damage the cells that line the lungs, leading to lung cancer. The only way to find out if your home has elevated levels of radon is to have it tested. Contact your local National Radon Defense dealer to schedule radon testing today!
What is Radon?
Radon is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that seeps up from the ground and diffuses into the air. In some areas, radon can even be found in ground water and is then released into the air when the water is used. Lower levels of radon aren't a cause for too much concern as everyone breathes in small amounts of radon every day in the outdoor air. The serious health risks come into play when areas you live, or work have inadequate ventilation thus increasing the levels and the risk of developing lung cancer—because of constant exposure.
How Does Radon Enter a Home?
Radon can enter your home through cracks in your foundation, floor or walls. Radon can also be released into your home through water from wells that contain radon. Radon levels can increase drastically in well insulated and sealed homes built on soil rich in uranium, thorium and radium. Basements and the main floor of a home typically have elevated levels of radon due to their proximity to the soil. But regardless of where your home is located, radon testing is the best option. Radon levels can vary from house to house and even season to season.
Radon Induced Lung Cancer
Radon decays very quickly and releases tiny radioactive particles that when inhaled, damage the cells that line your lungs. Long-term exposure to radon is a known cause of lung cancer. The combination of radon gas and cigarette smoke creates an even greater risk of developing lung cancer than to either factor alone. Although most radon-related cancer deaths are among those who smoke, it's estimated more than 10 percent of radon-related cancer deaths occur among nonsmokers.
Does My Home Have Elevated Levels of Radon?
Having your home tested is the only way to know if your home has risky levels of radon present. A radon mitigation specialist can test the levels in your home and if found to be elevated, provide you with a radon mitigation system to keep you and your loved ones safe in your home. National Radon Defense is the world's most trusted radon Measurement and Mitigation network. Their highly trained Radon Mitigation Specialists will be able to conduct a Design Survey and Structural Analysis of your home to determine the best method to reduce your radon to the lowest possible level).
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, killing more than 21,000 Americans each year. Find out more about radon and lung cancer on the EPA's website. Have your home tested today by contacting National Radon Defense to find a radon mitigation specialist in your area.
