Radon

Protect Yourself and Your Family from Radon

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States after cigarette smoke.

Radon is an odorless and invisible radioactive gas naturally released from rocks, soil, and water. In outdoor environments, radon levels are very low and generally not considered harmful.

Radon can get into homes or buildings through small cracks or holes and build up to higher levels. Over time, breathing in high radon levels can cause lung cancer.

The good news is that lung cancer from radon is preventable.

According to estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency:

  • Radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
  • 1 in 15 homes in the United States have high radon levels.

Radon is a gas that you cannot smell, taste, or see. Radon forms naturally when uranium, radium, and thorium break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. People can be exposed to radon primarily from breathing radon in air that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes.

Breathing in radon can cause health problems. Radon is estimated to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

  • You can take steps to reduce high radon levels in your home.
  • Testing your home is the only effective way to find out if you have a radon problem.

Learn more about how to protect yourself and your family.

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