Unseen Danger: The Critical Need to Test Your Home for Radon Gas

Are you aware of the levels of radon gas that are in your home? If not, you probably should be. I'll admit that up until recently, I wasn't aware of the serious health implications that exposure to high levels of radon can pose - including lung cancer - but when my in-laws got their house tested and found it had high levels of radon, I did a bit more research which I'll share in today's important video.

So first off, what is radon? Well, it's a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that forms when radioactive materials break down over time in groundwater, rocks, or soil. This gas can enter buildings through their foundations and get trapped there. This is important because inhaling high levels of radon gas over time can significantly increase your chances of developing lung cancer. In fact, it's estimated that about 20,000 people die of radon-related lung cancer each year in America, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths after smoking cigarettes. Yes - you heard that right - the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths after smoking cigarettes.

The prevalence of radon varies depending on the type of soil and rock in the area. The UK Health and Security Agency has created an interactive map that shows the highest rates of radon across the country, which I've put a link to in the video description below. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA) estimates that one in every 15 American homes has dangerously high levels of radon. Radon levels tend to be highest in homes located in the northern, midwestern, and northeastern regions of the United States. This is primarily due to the underlying geology of these areas, but it's important to note that high radon levels can be found in homes across the country, not just in these regions. The EPA has a map showing radon zones across the U.S., which can be a helpful resource, but remember, radon levels can vary greatly even within the same neighborhood so the only way to know is by testing your home - which we will cover later on in this video.

It's also worth knowing that you're more likely to encounter high levels of radon gas in basements, or buildings that aren't well ventilated. So how would you know if you've been exposed to radon? Well, unfortunately, there is no way to test someone for radon exposure and there are no immediate signs or symptoms to indicate that you've been exposed to this radioactive gas... however, if you have repeated exposure over a prolonged period, say 20 years, then you have an increased risk of developing lung cancer, especially if you're a smoker. Symptoms of lung cancer include chest pain, prolonged shortness of breath, a persistent cough that doesn't go away after 3 weeks, coughing up blood, difficult breathing or swallowing, feeling very tired and unexplained weight loss. If you have any of these symptoms you should go see your doctor.

So, how do you test for radon? Well, while you can't get tested for radon exposure, you can test your home for high levels of radon. There are two main ways to do this.... You can either hire a professional to test your home, or there are self-test kits that you can purchase at most hardware or home improvement stores and I've also included some links to these in the description box of this video where you can purchase them from Amazon. If you test your home and you find high levels of radon, there are some simple steps you can take to significantly reduce your exposure, which will ultimately decrease your chances of developing lung cancer. Some of these steps include improving your home's ventilation by opening windows or using fans, fixing cracks in the foundation and putting up plastic sheets in homes with crawl spaces. If high levels of radon are detected, mitigation systems can be professionally installed. These systems can reduce radon levels by up to 99%. The other good news is that new buildings can incorporate radon-resistant construction techniques to prevent radon entry. Finally, it's advisable to retest every couple of years or after significant home renovation.

I hope that you've found this video helpful and hopefully you have learnt something new that can prevent you and your family from getting lung cancer. Please remember to check out description box of this video for more information on this topic from trusted websites and please share any comments or questions in the comments section. As ever, thanks for watching and until next time, bye.

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