When it comes to your family’s health and safety, you can never be careful enough — especially with potential hazards like elevated radon levels in your home. Below, we’ll cover some common factors that may lead to increased radon levels and what you can do to test for it to help keep you and your family safe.
What Is Radon and Why Does It Matter?
Radon is a potentially lethal substance tracked by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other health-related organizations. It occurs naturally when uranium in the soil breaks down, and can easily enter homes through cracks in the foundation, basements or crawl spaces.
In the United States, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause among non-smokers, causing an estimated 21,000 deaths each year.
Part of the reason why this gas is so dangerous is that it’s nearly impossible to detect without a specific test. Radon is colorless, odorless and tasteless.
Potential Risk Factors for Radon Accumulation
While the signs listed below aren’t a guide on how to detect radon, they indicate that radon may be entering your home:
- Cracks in the foundation: Cracks in the walls and foundations are one of the primary ways that radon gas enters homes. If you see any cracks, holes, or other potential entry points, it’s time to test for radon.
- Visible water in your home’s low points: If you see water seeping through the floor or walls in your home’s basement or crawl spaces, it may indicate there are cracks or gaps that could also allow radon to enter.
- Poor air circulation: In many cases, low-level areas, such as basements and crawlspaces, lack adequate air circulation, which can facilitate radon accumulation.
Geographical Location
Some regions also have a higher likelihood of elevated radon levels than others. While levels may vary from region to region, and even within homes in the same neighborhood, if your home is in any of the following states, you should test your home for radon:
- Alaska
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Montana
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
If your local or state government has issued warnings for any part of your region, it’s best to test for radon in your home, just to be safe.
The EPA offers an interactive radon map, which divides the United States into different zones based on radon levels. Even in a state with relatively low radon levels overall, you may find that your specific area is more likely to have elevated radon levels.
Lung Cancer Symptoms
According to the American Lung Association, people who have never smoked make up one out of every seven radon-related lung cancer deaths each year. However, radon is a colorless and odorless gas, so there is no way to know if you are being exposed to high levels of it without testing for it in your home.
Radon’s real danger is that long-term exposure to elevated levels increases your risk of lung cancer, and you may not have symptoms until the disease is advanced. Since you can’t rely on your senses to detect a problem, the EPA, American Lung Association and National Radon Program Services at Kansas State University all recommend regular radon testing.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of lung cancer.
Breathing Challenges
Lung cancer can significantly affect your breathing. If you weren’t previously prone to respiratory issues, and then you suddenly start experiencing repeated problems like pneumonia or bronchitis, it could be an indication of lung cancer. Additional symptoms may include persistent coughing, wheezing and other respiratory conditions.
The longer you are exposed to high radon levels, the higher your risk of developing lung cancer becomes.
Voice Changes
Another potential indication of lung cancer is voice changes, including raspiness and hoarseness. If you notice this issue and it doesn’t improve as it would after recovering from an illness like a cold, you should consult your doctor. In some cases, individuals may also experience difficulty swallowing.
Shrinking Muscle Mass
Cancers of all kinds can lead to shrinking muscle mass as they progress, and lung cancer is no different. If you notice that once-easy tasks are becoming more challenging to accomplish, and it’s not getting any better, you should see your physician.
Other symptoms include weight loss, anemia or severe fatigue during everyday tasks like walking.
Chest Pain
Even though it affects your lungs, chest pain can also be an indication of lung cancer since it can make it more difficult to breathe. If you’re experiencing persistent, frequent or severe chest pain, you should see your physician immediately.
If you experience any of these health effects of radon exposure, it’s vital that you seek medical attention as soon as possible and have your home tested to determine the radon levels.
How to Test for Radon
If you’ve noticed any of the signs or symptoms listed above, you need to test your home for radon. Here’s how it works:
- Order your DIY testing kit
- Follow the kit instructions
- Get your results
Once you obtain your testing kit from SWAT Environmental and complete your test, we’ll assist you in interpreting and understanding your home’s radon test results. We can also suggest mitigation solutions tailored to meet your needs.
Successful Radon Mitigation Strategies
Whether you’re experiencing radon exposure symptoms or not, if your home’s test results show elevated radon levels, radon mitigation is essential.
There are many options for mitigating radon, most of which include a system that redirects radon gas from beneath your home to the open air, where it can dissipate. Radon is generally only considered hazardous when it is allowed to build up within a confined space. In open areas, it typically dilutes enough to be harmless.
Some strategies include adding ventilation to dilute the effects and reduce the concentrations of the gas. Regardless of the approach, it’s essential to rely on mitigation experts.
Radon Awareness Campaigns
This gas is life-threatening enough that multiple organizations have launched information campaigns. These include the National Radon Program Services from Kansas State University. The EPA has even launched a National Action Plan for addressing radon and raising awareness.
November is also Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which various organizations such as the American Lung Association use as an opportunity to raise awareness about radon exposure. Whether you’re a smoker or a non-smoker, lung cancer can affect you and your loved ones.
August 1 is observed as World Lung Cancer Awareness Day, and Lung Cancer Action Week takes place annually in May.
With so many events dedicated to lung cancer awareness, and radon being a leading cause of this dreadful disease, eliminating elevated radon levels is essential. Don’t take chances — get your radon testing kit today.
