Radon Awareness
“It amazed me and stunned me that Radon is not discussed as much as it should be. In fact, Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and it’s preventable.”
~ Liz Hoffmann
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2019 and with the new year we will have a host of posts that will help you become more aware of the world around you. January is Radon awareness month. This silent killer lingers in our homes, our places of work, and even our schools. If left unmitigated, the long term consequences can come with a very high health cost. Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and it affects all who are exposed. What is Radon you ask? The definition from the EPA is as such,
“Radon is a gaseous radioactive element having the symbol Rn, the atomic number 86, an atomic weight of 222, a melting point of -71ºC, a boiling point of -62ºC, and (depending on the source, there are between 20 and 25 isotopes of radon - 20 cited in the chemical summary, 25 listed in the table of isotopes); it is an extremely toxic, colorless gas; it can be condensed to a transparent liquid and to an opaque, glowing solid; it is derived from the radioactive decay of radium and is used in cancer treatment, as a tracer in leak detection, and in radiography. (From the word radium, the substance from which it is derived.)”
Radon is a gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. The chances are that you have been exposed or are currently being exposed to this gas, but in such small doses, you would never know. Radon, however, could be present at a dangerous level in your home or place of work. Radon, as it reads above, is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. Radon is present in the soil all over our region of the country and it seeps up from the soil to basements and buildings through foundations. The best way to know if the Radon gas levels are present in dangerous levels in your home are to have your home or office tested regularly. If your home or workplace does have a higher than normal Radon level, a mitigation system can be put in place to reduce your exposure.
Radon test kits can sometimes be available for free from your state or local health department, but if not, you can usually find them from your local hardware store or order them on-line. Typically, there is a test vial that is left open and exposed to the air for a certain period of time then you cap it off and mail it out to a lab to gain your results. The cost of the test kit alone is fairly inexpensive, and the lab costs are an additional cost (but still minimal) and results are back in usually two to six weeks. I know for some it may be an inconvenient thing to do but for the safety of your loved ones and yourself, the cost in terms of money and time is well worth it. If your test comes back with higher than safe levels of exposure, then a mitigation system can be installed to take care of the problem. This is where significant dollars come into play…systems can cost from several hundred dollars to several thousand. You will need to do the research and find a reputable company to do the work or if you’re able, do the work yourself. In the end, whatever you spend on testing and mitigation, it is still less expensive than fighting lung cancer, so keep an open mind to the bigger picture.
There is a ton of information available for those who are willing to look, on-line (like the EPA website), local libraries, local health departments, etc. be aware and take precautions to be safe. Remember, take care of yourself and each other, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com