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Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, behind smoking. Radon is invisible, odorless, and tasteless — making it impossible to detect without specialized equipment. Approximately 18,000 lung cancer deaths related to radon occur in the United States every year, and it's estimated that 1 in 15 homes has radon levels above the thresholds recommended by the EPA.
Radon is a chemical element (Rn) and a member of the noble gases. It is radioactive, and so can cause damage to the DNA of a living cell. Radon is naturally produced from the radioactive breakdown of uranium, thorium, and radium.
While radon is present around the world, it can be especially troublesome in certain regions where there are high concentrations of uranium in the ground, such as specific areas in New England and northern regions of the United States.
The first step to protect yourself and your family is to check the concentration of radon in the home. I provide radon tests using specialized equipment to give you an accurate measurement of radon concentration levels. If the radon measurement is greater than 4 picocuries per liter, then it is recommended that you install a radon mitigation system. The most common radon mitigation systems use a fan to pull in radon from beneath the house, and vent it outdoors where it is quickly diluted to safe levels.
