WHAT IS RADON?
WHAT IS RADON GAS?
Radon is an tasteless, odorless, invisible, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in our environment. It can cause damaging health effects, including lung cancer, when it is inhaled for prolonged periods of time.
It is the heaviest gas to have been discovered so far and it continuously emanates from the ground into the air all around us.
WHERE DOES RADON COME FROM?
Radon is an indirect decay product of Uranium, which is present in natural gas, water, rock, and soils.
Radon generates within the soil and travels into a home through its foundation. Pressure variations between a building’s foundation and the soil results in a vacuum-like condition that pulls Radon gas into the home through cracks and small openings in the foundation.
When Radon gas seeps into poorly ventilated buildings, it cannot be diluted. This may result in significant levels of accumulation, presenting potential serious health risks to you and your family.
INSIDE YOUR HOME
Outside in the open, Radon byproducts quickly disperse. inside, it's often a different story. Outdoor concentrations of Radon are typically safe and measure at about 0.4 picoCuries per Liter of air (pCi/L). However, when the Radon enters your house through the basement floor, crawl space, or slab flooring, it can build up inside your home to levels far in excess of that found outdoors.
Without the benefit of wide-open spaces, this gas and the particles that cling to it tend to build up and become more concentrated. Since it’s heavier than the harmless gases in our atmosphere, it sinks to the lowest possible levels of homes and other structures.
In spite of being heavier, it also happens to be smaller than oxygen, hydrogen, helium, and other gases; allowing it to pass through virtually all construction materials. It gets into your home, and eventually into your lungs.
Radon is found everywhere in the environment, is present in all 50 U.S. states, and is a fairly common problem for Missouri. In fact, Radon is common enough to be known as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and according the EPA, nearly 1 in 15 homes have elevated dangerous levels of Radon. In Missouri, those numbers are estimated to be 1 in 5.
A SILENT THREAT
A simple test will precisely measure your home’s Radon level, determining any potential risks. If further action is warranted, EnviroTech Radon Solutions can safely and efficiently remove the Radon gas from your home.
RISK REDUCTION
According to the EPA, Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. An estimated 21,000 people in the United States die from Radon-related lung cancer each year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never even smoked. While Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, it is the number one cause among non-smokers.
CARCINOGENIC
Although no Radon level is considered safe, The Environment Protection Agency suggests taking corrective action with a home Radon test reading of 4.0 pCi/L or more.