Your home is a place of security and comfort. When it’s not? You’ll do anything to fix that.
Radon gas is a deadly substance infecting millions of American homes the country over, exposing adults and children alike to a higher risk of lung cancer with many none the wiser. Unable to be detected or removed without advanced equipment many are becoming justifiably afraid of whether or not their home is one of those at risk. A local radon mitigation and abatement company won’t just determine your risk factor, they will provide you with the resources necessary to return your home to its previous state.
There’s no such thing as too safe when it comes to your family. Learn about radon gas and its risks below.
The United States is seeing a growing epidemic of radon gas exposure. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (or U.S. EPA) as well as the Surgeon General revealed some troubling statistics over the past few years. As many as seven states, as well as three Indian lands, have tested positive for radon gas amounts above the recommended action level. It’s estimated one out of three homes in these studies are boasting screening levels over 4 pCi/L. This spells disaster for human health.
Lung cancer is a deadly disease, claiming thousands of lives every year and leaving many with long-term ramifications they will feel for years. The U.S. EPA and Surgeon General have estimated as many as 20,000 deaths per year are caused either entirely or partially by radon gas exposure. A family whose home bears radon levels of 4 pCi/L or higher is exposed to nearly 35 times as much radiation as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would allow if said family were near the fence of a radioactive waste site. This is where local radon testing comes in.
The second leading cause of lung cancer today is radon gas. With a local radon mitigation and abatement service radon gas exposure can be both identified and drastically reduced over time. Short-term detectors are able to measure radon levels for as few as two days and as long as 90 days. Long-term tests are run over the course of a few months and are necessary for radon gas exposure that is more virulent than short-term tests will allow. Scientists have estimated as many as 4% of lung cancer deaths could be reduced with a local sump pump excavation. That’s as many as 5,000 people.
Your family’s risk of lung cancer increases by 15% or more with each 100 Bq/m increase in long-term exposure. Even short-term exposure can cause a host of side-effects, such as chronic headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing and fainting. Passive systems of mitigation are able to reduce indoor radon levels by 50% or more, with radon ventilation fans increasing this percentage even further by gradually flushing out radon gas away from the home. Don’t wait for these side-effects to appear. Only a local radon mitigation and abatement service can decide for sure your family’s risk.
A local radon mitigation company will first run short-term tests to determine your home’s radon gas levels. At the very best you’ll have the peace-of-mind necessary to go the rest of the year without wondering whether or not you’re putting your family at risk of lung cancer. At the worst they will determine your home is boasting levels either at or above the EPA’s recommended level, in which they will run long-term detectors and determine the amount of mitigation needed to clear the gas out. Reach out to a local radon mitigation and abatement company and ask about their local radon testing services.
Better safe than sorry. It’s this logic that will keep you and your family safe year-round.
