Are you safe?

The Radon Journey: Earth to Lungs

Radon has always been with us. Radon comes from Uranium, a naturally radioactive element that exists in varying quantities depending on the type of rock and soil. Radon is a noble gas, which does not react chemically with surrounding soil. The gas travels through the soil intact to the surface. If the surface happens to have a house at the exit point, the "chimney effect" causes a negative air pressure in the substructure which draws the Radon through the cracks and openings into the house. The Radon, now in the house, begins to build up and go through its radioactive decay cycle, producing radioactive daughter products. During the decay cycle, the radioactive daughter products attach to dust and air particulate and are inhaled by the inhabitants of the house. Once inhaled into the respiratory system, the radioactive daughter products emit radioactivity directly to the adjoining cells. This activity has been proven to greatly increase Lung Cancer in humans. The US EPA has estimated that from about 7,000 to 30,000 Lung Cancer deaths a year in the United States may be attributed to Radon.More information about Radon

Do you have a Radon Problem?

Stanley Watras and his family were fortunate that he was employed at a nuclear power plant. He continually set off the radiation monitors at the plant, until it occured to him that the problem was not coming from the power plant. The scientists that came to test his home found that it contained an incredible amount of Radon. Mr. Watras stated that the scientists told him that the Cancer risk was equivalent to smoking 220 packs of cigarettes a day. The house not 100 feet away from Watras' home was tested and found safe, but across the street and 500 yards down the road, another house turned out to have dangerously high levels of Radon. If the middle house had been the only one tested, the others may have assumed they were safe. Each home is constructed differently and sits on it's own individual Radon producing plot of ground. Each house should be tested for Radon.