How are You Exposed to Radon?

Radon makes its way into your home through cracks, gaps, and porous materials in floors or walls.
Radon levels are often highest in basements and crawl spaces because they are closest to the ground.
Experts say that nearly 1 out of 15 homes in the U.S. have dangerous levels of radon.
Radon is also in water that comes from lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, but most of it is released into the air
before the water gets to you. EPA suggests there are about 168 deaths annually from radon in water, but
89% of these deaths occur from breathing in the radon particles that the water has released into the air.
Nevertheless, if your home's water supply comes from a well or another groundwater source, you may
want to have it tested for radon.

What is a safe level of radon?
The truth is that the only safe level of radon is no radon. But there is what is considered an acceptable
level. Obviously, the lower your level of radon, the lower your risk of lung cancer.

Radon Act 51 set the target indoor level at 0.4 pCi/L, which is the national outdoor average.
EPA, tasked with setting radon guidelines and recommendations for the U.S., suggests that
two-thirds of American homes exceed that number. EPA has set an action level of 4 pCi/L of radon,
which means homes that have a level of 4 or higher should be mitigated. But the fact remains that levels
under 4 still pose some risk, homeowners can work with their mitigation company to reduce their levels
even further. Mitigation research says that radon levels can be reduced to less than
4 pCi/L 95% of the time and 2 pCi/L can be achieved 70% of the time. 

A radon level of 2 pCi/L is the equivalent of:
• Smoking 4 cigarettes per day
• Receiving 100 chest X-rays per year

A radon level of 4 pCi/L is the equivalent of:
• Smoking 8 cigarettes per day
• Receiving 200 chest X-rays per year

A radon level of 10 pCi/L is the equivalent of:
• Smoking a pack of cigarettes per day
• Receiving 500 chest X-rays per year

While no level of radon is entirely safe, as with most things in life, we are just looking to strike a balance to
find our own “acceptable” level of risk. Between 6,000 and 8,000 deaths per year occur in the United
States due to activities that we all take part in, such as walking on a road where cars are driving or simply
working a job that is outdoors in the sun. We drive cars every single day, which were responsible for
nearly 40,000 deaths last year. The thing is – we have choices to make. We pick which roads to walk on
where cars are driving by. We choose whether to put on sunscreen or not before we work all day in the
sun. We decide whether to get behind the wheel of a car. You have no choice but to breathe, but you can
make an informed decision on the level of radon you are willing to live with and subject your family to.

How can I protect my family?
The only way to protect you and your family is to have your home tested for radon. It is easy. Just call us
to set up a test today. We will arrange for a technician to set up a monitor in your home, which takes 5 to
10 minutes. The monitor is typically picked up in a couple of days. It is the most unintrusive but accurate
way to find out your level of exposure.