What is home radon & how does it affect you?
Prevent home radon with the experts in Royal Oak & nearby
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has become one of the leading causes of lung cancer, second only to cigarette smoke. Most soils contain uranium that, over time, decays to produce radium and polonium. Eventually, polonium is released with the radon, which creates high toxicity levels in the air and water.
Unfortunately, we cannot smell, taste, or see radon - which is why it easily goes unnoticed. When this happens, everyone in the home becomes susceptible to contracting lung cancer. There are also not many symptoms of lung cancer, as they often lie dormant until the disease becomes more severe.
As a member of the National Radon Defense network, Michigan Radon Defense is a certified radon mitigation expert. We can even conduct a radon test in as little as two days! Contact us today for more information about radon testing and our radon mitigation services. We proudly serve Michigan homeowners in Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Waterford, and areas nearby.
What is home radon?
- Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced by uranium decay in rocks and soil
- Radon is found in every state and is an even bigger issue for homes with crawl spaces
- Home radon is considered as cancer-causing as tobacco and asbestos
- Radon causes anywhere between 15,400 to 21,000 deaths annually
- Low-level radon exposure over time is more harmful than short periods of high-level exposure
- Concentrations are at their highest during the winter
- Easy entry points, poor home ventilation, and radon levels at 4 pCi/L or higher warrant radon mitigation
How does home radon cause lung cancer?
Lung cancer kills more people each year than the other top cancers combined. It also receives the least amount of funding because many people believe it's a self-induced disease. According to the World Health Organization, radon causes 15 percent of the world's lung cancer cases and kills 20,000 people each year.
For those 20,000 people who have never smoked and have never been heavily surrounded by smokers, the lung cancer diagnosis is far from self-induced.
Radon-induced lung cancer kills one person every 25 minutes, joining arsenic, asbestos, and benzene as a Class-A Carcinogen.
Did you know...
That radon gas was actually a vital aspect of the gaseous makeup of the atomic bomb? Although the levels of radon that resulted from the atomic bombs far exceed the amounts of radon found in a home, the principle remains the same -- radon gas is very harmful and can be deadly!
Click the image to enlarge.
Where does radon come from?
Radon is released into the atmosphere from the earth as uranium-rich soil and rocks degrade. Radon sources are found directly in the earth, as well as in well water, and accumulate in enclosed spaces such as underground mines and basements.
For this reason, radon is found all over the world and can become a problem no matter where you live. In the United States, the northern regions of the country are typically at the highest risk, but no area of the country is radon-free. Click the map to the right to see if you live in a high-risk area.
Cigarette smoke versus radon exposure
While the effects of smoking cigarettes are far more recognizable when compared to the effects of radon exposure, there is very little separating the severity of these two causes of lung cancer. How can smoking cigarettes be compared to radon exposure? Check this out!
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter, or pCi/L. A measurement of 1 pCi/L is equal to 2.5 cigarettes each day. If your home has a reading of 4 pCi/L, which is the Environmental Protection Agency's required action level, every person is breathing in the equivalent of 10 cigarettes per day.
X-Ray radiation versus home radon
The amount of radiation in 4.0 pCi/L of radon is actually equivalent to the radiation in 100 chest X-rays. Sure, that seems like a lot, but this gets worse. Most hospitals actually only allow patients to have four chest X-rays each year. Let's do the math. That converts to the equivalent of .16 pCi/L per X-ray and .64 pCi/L of radiation a year with four X-rays. In other words, radon mitigation in Michigan is crucial to the overall health of any homeowner in this state.
Protect your home & schedule radon testing
Contact Michigan Radon Defense today to get a radon inspection and mitigation system in your home. There is no reason to wait any longer to address the risks of radon. We offer free estimates on all our radon services in Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Waterford, Troy, Southfield, Flint, West Bloomfield, Pontiac, Novi, Clarkston, and the nearby areas.
Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.