Believe it or not, the current season can greatly affect the levels of deadly radon gas that may exist inside your home. This is why we always recommend testing your home at least twice a year. The best times to do so are during the summer and winter months.

Deadly Radon Gas is More Prevalent in Cold Weather

Photo by Rachel Kramer (Flickr)

What many of you may not be aware of is that cold weather actually increases the risk that elevated levels of the deadly radon gas may seep into your home. As Eleanor Driver, radon project coordinator for the state of Utah, says “because it’s colder outside and then warmer inside your home, that increases the radon levels.”

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for the deaths of more than 20,000 Americans every year. According to Divver, in her home state of Utah nearly one-third of home have elevated levels and many of the homeowners don’t even know it. This is because the only way to discover its presence is to test for it. Luckily, testing kits and professional help are both relatively inexpensive. For those that don’t want to conduct the tests themselves, they can always find help for a reasonable price.

Deadly Radon Gas Can Be A Problem In Any Home

Radon does not discriminate based on the type of home or location, it can be a problem anywhere. “We can have elevated levels in an older home, in a newer home, even in a home that seems like there would be plenty of air circulation,” says Divver. While new homes are built with radon resistant construction, it’s still possible for radon gas to seep inside.

It’s naturally released as a decay product of elements such as Uranium and others, which commonly reside in soil and rocks underneath the ground. Since it is extremely dense – more dense than air – it releases slowly and usually collects in the lowest levels of a home. The biggest problem arises from long-term exposure, which is why everyone should have their home tested. The sooner you take action, the more likely you are to keep your body – and your family – healthy.

Test for the Deadly Radon Gas As Soon As Possible

Divver revealed a recent case she encountered where a family – of which two members were diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer – discovered levels of the deadly radon gas at 17pCi/L in their home. The recommended action limit as set by the US EPA is 4.0pCi/L, so the family’s home had levels more than four times that amount. Divver says that exposure to levels that high “would be like smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day.”

Long story short, whether you live in Utah or elsewhere in the United States, the winter season is a good time as any to have your home tested for the presence of the deadly radon gas.

Via: Utah Public Radio