Understanding Radon Exposure’s Connection to Lung Cancer

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a perfect time to discuss the correlation between radon exposure and lung cancer. Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that is created by the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil. Outdoors, it disperses nearly completely, and is not a threat. It enters into homes, however, through crawl spaces, cracks in foundations, sump pumps, and other small entrance points, and unless it is mitigated and vented outside the house, it can accumulate into higher concentrations. When exposed to higher than acceptable radon levels over a period of time, residents of a home can develop lung cancer, even if they are non-smokers.

According to Cancer.org, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women, accounting for 1 in 4 cancer deaths. While smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, exposure to radon is the second leading cause.

Although a connection between radon exposure and lung cancer has been proven, there are many homeowners who don’t understand the risk, and some don’t even know about radon. One purpose of Lung Cancer Awareness Month is to educate people about the potential causes of lung cancer and how testing for radon can help lessen the chance of harmful exposure to it.

Testing for radon in your home is not difficult, nor is it expensive. It is definitely worth the time and effort of testing to ensure the health and safety of your family. The best way to feel secure is to have a long-term test performed by a licensed professional mitigation company.

In the event your testing results show higher than acceptable levels of radon, it is imperative that you have your home mitigated. Venting systems can be installed, in most cases, in less than one day and at a reasonable cost.

For more information about the correlation between radon exposure and lung cancer, please contact:

Illinois Valley Radon Mitigation, LLC

717 Bellevue Avenue

Ottawa, IL 61350

815-313-5892

www.illinoisvalleyradon.com

Email: tami@illinoisvalleyradon.com