| RADON IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES! |
| Radon is the #1 Cause of Lung Cancer Among Non-Smokers... The death of Dana Reeves (age 44), Christopher Reeves' wife several years ago raised public awareness about radon risks and lung cancer, especially among people who have never smoked, like Dana Reeves. Smoking, radon, and second hand smoke are the three leading causes of lung cancer - IN THAT ORDER - so radon is a serious health hazard. Radon mitigation (removal) can reduce high levels at a very reasonable cost. Costs vary from $800 to $2,500. The EPA estimates that the average operating costs and energy losses for radon reduction are $150/year. Each radon stack emits about 1 Curie per year of the heavy radioactive gas - more than enough to eliminate dangerous levels within homes. |
| Experts state: “Radon is the most potent environmental carcinogen to which the general public is exposed.” [2000 Report on Carcinogens] “Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.” [The Surgeon General] “Radon causes more deaths than home fires, drownings, and airplane crashes combined.” [US EPA] "Radon causes about 21,100 deaths in the U.S. each year.” [US EPA & The National Academy of Sciences, 2003 estimate]. |
| Radon in Nature... Radon gas is produced during the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium, common throughout the Earth. They disintegrate into lighter radioactive elements like radium, polonium and lead. All are heavy metals except for one — radon. IT IS PREVALENT IN EVERY STATE! If you're about to spend several hundred thousand dollars on a house or ground level condominium, the $95 fee to check for potentially lethal levels of radon just makes sense. The breathable air in a home in North Carolina with radon levels considered high by the EPA, is like smoking 1+ carton (10 packs+) of cigarettes a day!!! A genuine reason to test any home, regardless of location, for elevated radon levels. Radon gas slowly oozes from the ground. Radon concentration is measured by the radioactivity it produces (1 Curie is the radioactivity of 1 gram of radium). The average radon level in ambient air is 0.4 pCi/L (picoCuries per liter). Where there are heavy concentrations of rock and ledge - radon may be readily present. Radon in Homes... Radon is the heaviest of all gases, eight times heavier than air. It accumulates in basements or on lower floors and then, diffuses throughout the building. The average radon level in US homes is 1.25 pCi/L. About 1 out of every 15 homes exceeds the "action limit" of 4 pCi/L and nearly 1 out of 6 exceeds the 2 pCi/L "consider action limit". Having even minimal elevated levels of radon in your home carries a mortality risk three times higher than the risk of dying in a car crash - or the equivalent to smoking 10 cigarettes a day. In fact, if you smoke AND live in a home with elevated levels of radon in the air, your risk of contracting lung cancer can be as high as 10 times greater than living in a home without elevated radon levels. Radon is a Potent Carcinogen... Radon gas decays into minute radioactive particles which float in the air we breathe. These particles get trapped in the lungs where they undergo radioactive decay with a half life of 22 years. The radiation damages the DNA of adjacent cells and causes lung cancer. The EPA recommends that if you are considering the purchase of a home, that you know what radon levels currently exist in the house. Considering the long-term effects of high levels radon exposure, not testing the house for radon levels in the air and well water is foolish and not forward thinking. |
| RADON CONCERNS AND WHY YOU SHOULD TEST |
How widespread is the problem? Radon has been
found in homes in all 50 states. Some areas of the
state have higher levels than others - BUT - no
location is immune, regardless of location. The only
way to tell for sure is to have a home tested.
Please Note: Radon is NOT very prevalent in SE
North Carolina or NE South Carolina. Dozens of tests
have never resulted in high levels of radon. Not a
guarantee - just some cost/expense insight.
found in homes in all 50 states. Some areas of the
state have higher levels than others - BUT - no
location is immune, regardless of location. The only
way to tell for sure is to have a home tested.
Please Note: Radon is NOT very prevalent in SE
North Carolina or NE South Carolina. Dozens of tests
have never resulted in high levels of radon. Not a
guarantee - just some cost/expense insight.
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NC License #002751
SC License #RBI 2527
