High blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, CO poisoning, etc. are some of the silent killers that most people recognize so far. But do you know there is another silent risk that could be hidden in your homes? Radon!
You can’t see, taste, or smell radon even if you are in an environment with high levels of this deadly gas. But, constant exposure to radon may put you at the risk of developing lung cancer.
According to the US EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. A bigger concern is, a lot of people don’t even know that they have radon poisoning until it causes advanced symptoms or has damaged the internal organs.
Even worse? Most radon exposure occurs inside homes, workplaces, or schools. It gets trapped indoors after entering buildings via cracks or holes in the foundation. Luckily, radon testing can help you determine the radon level indoors so that you can take steps to reduce it.
Given the severity of the disease, here we’ll discuss everything you need to know about radon poisoning and how radon testing, installing a radon mitigation system can help.
How Is the General Population Exposed To Radon?
Radon is present in air; we breathe in radon every day at a very low level. However, people who get exposed to high levels of radon are at the risk of developing lung cancer. But how does it happen? Radon can enter homes via holes or cracks in walls, floors, and accumulate indoors.
Building materials, or water obtained from wells can also release radon gas. High levels of radon are found in buildings that are tightly sealed, well-insulated, or homes that are built in soil rich in radium, uranium, or thorium.
How Does It Cause Cancer?
Radon is a gas that decays quickly and produces tiny radioactive particles. When a person breathes in this air, radioactive particles get inside the body, damaging the lung cells. The long-term exposure to radon causes lung cancer. Moreover, radon exposure is also associated with an increased risk of Leukemia in adults, as well as children.
What Are The Possible Symptoms Of Lung Cancer From Radon Exposure ?
While the signs are not obvious, the health conditions mentioned below may point towards a deadly disease, like lung cancer-
- Persistent cough
- Chest pain
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Appetite loss
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarseness
- Shortened breath
- Infections, like pneumonia and bronchitis, etc.
How To Detect An Elevated Level Of Radon Indoors?
Well, radon testing is the only way to find if a person’s home has an increased level of radon. Things, like the ease with which radon can enter a house, or soil composition around or under the house, also affect the radon level indoors.
Also, rain, snow, pressure, etc., can influence radon levels; thus, it varies from day to day, or month to month. For this, both short-term and long-term radon test kits are available. You can either get the radon testing done by professionals or do it yourself by reading the manual.
How Can Radon Mitigation System Help?
Given the unpredictable presence of radon and its toxic health effects, installing a radon mitigation system is a priority. The radon mitigation system helps reduce the indoor radon levels as low as achievable. Generally, all systems reduce radon below the EPA level of 4 pCi/L. Though there is no safe level of radon exposure, radon below 2 pCi/L or less can effectively decrease the risk of radon poisoning.
Conclusion
Radon poisoning could be fatal for your life. Thus, it is recommended to get more information about radon exposure, its symptoms, and what you can do to reduce its risk. Hopefully, the information we have mentioned above will help you take adequate measures to protect yourself and your loved ones from this deadly gas.
