Radon
Radon Information
Radon Is a Cancer-Causing, Radioactive Gas. You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. But it still may be a problem in your home. When you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. In February 1998, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released its report on radon and lung cancer, The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon (the BEIR VI report). The NAS is an independent, non-governmental, scientific organization. The NAS estimates that radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States and that 12 percent of all lung cancer deaths are linked to radon. After smoking, radon is the second leading cause of death due to lung cancer in the United States. Testing is the only way to find out your home's radon levels. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes for radon. If you find that you have high radon levels, there are ways to fix a radon problem. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
If You Are Selling a Home... EPA recommends that you test your home before putting it on the market and, if necessary, lower your radon levels. Save the test results and all information you have about steps that were taken to fix any problems. This could be a positive selling point.
If You Are Buying a Home... EPA recommends that you know what the indoor radon level is in any home you consider buying. Ask the seller for their radon test results. If the home has a radon-reduction system, ask the seller for information they have about the system. If the home has not yet been tested, you should have the housed tested before you make the commitment to buy.