Why Test for Radon - Radon is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that is released when naturally occurring uranium in soil decays. Not only is it radioactive, but 1 in 3 homes in Utah have high levels indoors. Radon accounts for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year and is the leading cause of lung […]
You have probably seen or heard about radon gas. In fact, January is coming up and it is an entire month focused on Radon Awareness. You will begin hearing about it on the news. So waht is the big deal about radon gas? Well to understand that, we first have to understand what it is and how it affects us here in Utah.
What Is Radon Gas?
Radon is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that occurs naturally when uranium in soil decays. This is a common thing that can be found everywhere. It is present in nearly all soils, and low levels of radon is in the air we breath everyday. So if it can be found everywhere, why do we care about it? What can we do?
Why Should I Care About Radon Gas?
Radon gas becomes a concern when it enters your home and gets trapped. As we breathe it in over long periods of time, it can actually begin to change the DNA of our lungs. Once this process begins, it can lead to lung cancer. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer here in the US. And if you are a smoker, that risk goes up even more.
What can be done about radon gas?
Obviously best case scenariao means we stop radon gas before ever entering your home. Without some kind of intervention, this isn't likely. Radon enters through the tiniest cracks and pores in the foundation. It can even enter around construction joints. Caulking your house and sealing any cracks is a start but if your house is built on high radon soil, it is likely that you will need to install a radon mitigation system. These are a system of pipes connected to a fan that pulls the radon from beneath the house and vents it out above the house so we aren't breathing it in while we are in our home.
The first step is testing your home to see if you have a radon problem. You can request a free test kit by filling out the form on this page. Once we have those results we can make a recommendation for your home. If you have questions, call the experts at Utah Radon Services at 801-871-0715.
