A Silent Threat In Your Home

With the ushering in of spring and a cleaner home, the more obvious filth gets the attention. There are, however, a number of toxins that you can't see that could be causing you harm. One such problem may be radon in your home. Radon results from the natural breakdown of uranium in rock and soil. Low levels of this gas are in outdoor air where it is well dispursed and very little exposure occurs. However, depending on a number of circumstances, high levels may be found in indoor air.

According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is associated with 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Radon is a gas that decays rather quickly giving off radioactive particles. When this is inhaled, it causes damage to the cells that line the lungs which spells trouble when this is in high amounts. The bad news is that this little beast can be a hazard if you have high concentrations of it in your house and it is allowed to persist. The good news is that it is easy to test for and relatively easy to amend the problem.

So when and how should you test for radon? When a home is sold, it is fairly standard to have the house radon tested before the sale goes through. However, it is not required, so be diligent before a purchase and make certain that testing takes place and any potential risk is eliminated through radon mitigation work. In addition, radon levels can change in a home base upon warm or cold weather. Levels can also increase as a result of cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes and cavities inside walls. It is wise to test every couple of years as there are shifts in the earth beneath your home that may contribute to shifts in the structure of your house that allow the radon a path in. Be certain to test during the warm and cold season of that year, as that can be an influence as well. If high levels of radon are found, it is important to proceed with mitigation plans that can be carried out by a contractor that is EPA certified to deal with this.

The EPA has great resources for you to understand how to proceed with testing and mitigation. Visit the EPA link below to get your test kit coupon and take care of radon if it is a problem in your home. It is a small effort that is well worth the time...for you health!

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html#whyhire