Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and while a large majority of people will be indulging in good food, great times with family and friends and perhaps even some serious shopping a few will be spending their holidays in the hospital or at home sick. If that saps your joy and happiness, it’s a good thing. You see, our intent is not to ruin or taint the holidays for you, but merely to remind you that there are hidden dangers out there.
Radon Gas Might Be Seeping Into Your Home
Photo by Tim Sackton (Flickr)
One of the most hidden and lesser known dangers is the presence of radon gas, which can exist in any home, residence or business. While you’re visiting family this week, or while they are visiting you there’s a big chance you could all be exposing yourselves to extremely high levels of radon gas. Before you claim that it’s not a problem in your home, or that it’s rare to find consider this: radon induced lung cancer claims the lives of more than 20,000 Americans each year. In addition, it the second leading cause of lung cancer, and the leading cause in non-smokers. And you probably thought that smoking cigarettes or cigars was the only way to contract lung cancer, right?
Since radon is a naturally ocurring gas, released by elements such as Uranium that commonly exist in soil and rock it can be a problem anywhere. Outside in the fresh air where it can disperse evenly it’s not such a problem. However, indoors where it can collect in great abundance and concentrated amounts it can do some serious harm to your body.
The radioactive radon daughters make their way into your lungs where they stick to the inner linings. They continue to undergo radioactive decay, turning your lung cells cancerous. It’s so dangerous that exposure to radon increases the risk of lung cancer exponentially. For every additional 15 pCi/L above the recommended action limit — set by the U.S. EPA at 4.0 pCi/L — it is equal to smoking one pack of cigarettes per day. So if the levels in your home are 34 pCi/L or higher, exposure to that amount of radon gas is the equivalent of smoking two packs a day.
Even if you never smoke a day in your life, you can still get lung cancer due to radon gas exposure. Worse yet, if you do happen to smoke than your risk increases even more in combination with radon exposure.
Test for Radon Gas Immediately
The only way to find out whether or not radon gas is a problem in your home, is to test specifically for it. Luckily, you can purchase a DIY test at any local hardware store or online. You can also hired experienced professionals to test your home for you.
If elevated radon gas levels are discovered, there’s no reason to panic. That said, you need to take action immediately to alleviate the problem which calls for installing a mitigation system to ventilate the concentrated radon gas out of your home. Mitigation systems are not overly expensive, and most cost anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500 depending on the system used and the setup of your home.
So while you’re enjoying the holidays this year and giving thanks for everything you have, why not take a moment to consider your good health and the good health of your family. When you get a moment, conduct a test in your home to find out whether or not radon gas is a health hazard for you. The sooner you take action, the sooner you can return to living a healthy, happy life.
