You may have seen news stories or heard from friends about this thing called a “silent killer” but you’re probably asking yourself, is radon gas dangerous to my health? Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. It occurs when uranium, which is found in soil and rock, decays.  And unfortunately, radon gas is prevalent in Utah and can be found to some degree in almost every single home.

So how does radon gas become a health concern?

As uranium decays into radon gas, it enters your home through cracks and pores in the foundation. The radiation that is given off through the breakdown of radon gas can manipulate and damage the DNA inside of our body’s cells. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Surgeon General have stated that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer – second only to smoking.

You are probably thinking, “I’ve lived in my home for years and I don’t have lung cancer.” Maybe you’ve never tested, or maybe you’ve tested and discovered high levels of radon but haven’t installed a system. It may take several years to manifest radon related lung cancer symptoms. It doesn’t matter if you have lived in your home for 20 years and have yet to contract lung cancer. Remember, radon levels can change over the years.

Radon related lung cancer is a health risk that can be avoided by reducing radon concentration levels in your home. The longer you live with high radon gas in your home, the greater your chances of contracting lung cancer.

Test Your Home For Radon

The first step to avoiding this health risk, is to test your home for radon. Testing is the only way of knowing if your home levels of radon gas dangerous to your health. Radon is measure in picoCuries per liter, or “pCi/L”. The EPA recommends that you take action if the radon level in your home is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, although the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends levels below 2.7 pCi/L. After testing, if the levels are elevated you can install a radon mitigation system to reduce the levels of radon.  If levels are  below the action levels, make sure you test again every few years and radon levels will change.

So if you’ve been asking yourself, is radon gas dangerous to my health? Yes. Don’t become another lung cancer statistic. Keep your family safe and test for radon gas. Utah Radon Services is a fully insured and licensed radon testing and mitigation company. We offer FREE radon testing & mitigation bids. Simply fill out the form on this page and we will reach out to you.