Is radon bad for your health?
Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in almost any kind of soil or rock, is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon exposure results in more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. every year.
Is radon really that bad?
Radon is part of the environment and generally isn’t harmful. But long-term exposure to high levels of radon can put you at risk of developing lung cancer, especially if you smoke.
What are the signs your home has a Radon problem?
When testing with a home kit or a radon specialist:
- Close your house to the outdoors (windows and doors) for at least 12 hours prior and during a short-term test.
- Do not disturb or move the testing device.
- Promptly send the testing unit and all required information to the laboratory as soon as the test is complete.
- Do not perform a radon test during severe storms or periods of high winds.
How can you protect yourself from radon?
What Can You Do?
- Check Your Area's Radon Potential. Find out if you are buying a home in a high radon area. ...
- Install a Radon Reduction System. Talk to your builder about installing a radon reduction system. ...
- Remember: Test Your Home. Every new home should be tested for radon after occupancy. ...
- If Radon Levels Are Still High, Activate. ...
See more
What are the first signs of radon poisoning?
A persistent cough could be a sign that you have radon poisoning.Persistent cough.Hoarseness.Wheezing.Shortness of breath.Coughing up blood.Chest pain.Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.Loss of appetite.More items...
What effects does radon have on a person?
When you breathe in radon, it gets into the lining of your lungs and gives off radiation. Over a long time, that can damage the cells there and lead to lung cancer. Radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking.
How long does it take for radon to affect you?
Radon gas can damage cells in your lungs, which can lead to cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to develop.
Does radon exposure cause symptoms?
At levels normally encountered in the environment, radon exposure causes no acute or subacute health effects, no irritating effects, and has no warning signs. The primary adverse health effect of exposure to increased levels of radon is lung cancer. For lung cancer to develop may take years.
Is it OK to live in a house with radon?
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. If you smoke and live in a home with high radon levels, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. Having your home tested is the only effective way to determine whether you and your family are at risk of high radon exposure.
What are the symptoms of radon in the house?
If you think you've been exposed Possible symptoms include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing), a new or worsening cough, pain or tightness in the chest, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing. If you smoke and you know you've been exposed to high levels of radon, it's very important to quit smoking.
Does opening windows reduce radon?
As a temporary solution, however, you can reduce radon levels simply by opening windows. Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. Make sure all your basement windows are open.
Do air purifiers help with radon?
Air Purifiers are great for mold, dust, allergies, bacteria and viruses, and odors, but many people do not know that they can also help with toxins, gases and chemicals such as radon. The most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter.
Does radon gas give you a headache?
Radon does not cause any warning symptoms like headaches, nausea, fatigue, or skin rashes. If you are suffering from those symptoms or other physical ailments, you should consult your physician. You should still test your home for radon.
How serious is radon in a home?
Radon is a radioactive gas emitted naturally from the ground. However, when radon gets trapped indoors—after entering a home through joints in walls, basement floors, foundations and other openings—it may concentrate at dangerous levels. And exposure to high levels of radon can cause lung cancer.
Can radon gas cause sinus problems?
That makes radon the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. But even minor symptoms like headaches, feeling unusually tired, itching or burning eyes, irritated skin, nasal congestion, a dry throat or nausea could be due to your home's indoor air quality.
Is there a blood test for radon exposure?
There are specialized tests that can detect radon in your urine, bones, and blood, but the results of these tests only tell if you were recently exposed to radon. They do not give any information about the amount of exposure, which is necessary to determine whether the exposure has been excessive.
How to know if you have too much radon in your home?
The only way to know for sure if you have too much radon in your home is to test for it. You can do this on your own without the help of a professional.
How does radon get into a house?
Radon can come up through the ground and into your home through cracks in the foundation. Once it’s through the cracks, it can get trapped inside, where it builds up. It can also get into your home through well water. Rarely, building materials have been found to release radon into buildings.
What causes hoarseness and chest pain?
hoarseness. chest pain, especially when you cough or laugh. frequent infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Over time, you may also experience loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Radon comes in second.
How long does it take for radon to develop?
Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to develop. Early signs and symptoms of lung cancer may include: Over time, you may also experience loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue.
What is radon gas?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. It’s produced when uranium, thorium, and radium break down in soil, rock, and water. It’s then released into the air. Radon is odorless, tasteless, and invisible. Radon can accumulate in some places where ventilation is inadequate, such as in an underground mine.
How long does radon test take?
If you’re in a hurry, you can use a short-term test. Some of these tests measure radon for just 2 or 3 days, while others measure up to 90 days. For a short-term test, you’ll need to keep your windows and doors closed as much as possible and avoid fans that bring in air from the outside. Short-term devices include:
Where can radon be found?
Radon can accumulate in some places where ventilation is inadequate, such as in an underground mine. It can also build up inside buildings. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon can be dangerous to your health.
What does it mean when you cough and you have radon?
A persistent cough could be a sign that you have radon poisoning. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking cigarettes are the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and radon is the second leading cause. It is estimated that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year are caused by radon exposure.
What to do if you find radon in your home?
If they find dangerous levels of radon then they'll suggest you install a radon mitigation system . A properly installed radon mitigation system will harmlessly disperse the radon gas, making your home dramatically safer.
What to do after seeing a doctor for radon?
After you've seen your doctor you should make sure to schedule a radon test. A qualified radon contractor can help you discover if radon is the problem and let you know what level of radon is present in your home.
Is radon mitigation safe?
A radon mitigation system can harmlessly disperse the radon in your home and make it safe to live in again. Luckily these systems are affordable to install and easy to maintain, allowing you to keep your family and home protected with minimal inconvenience.
Who recommends radon testing?
The US Surgeon General, National Radon Defense, Health Canada, and the EPA recommends every home test for radon. Bless This Home book, by Curtis Drew Founder and President of National Radon Defense, is available for purchase on amazon.com. Learn More.
Is a CAT scan good for radon?
A CAT scan may be a great idea since the process is relatively simple and many of the symptoms of radon poisoning also indicate potential lung disease. However, your doctor will better know if a CAT scan is right for you .
Can you smell radon gas?
You can't see, smell or taste radon gas. Even if you are breathing in a high level of radon, there are no obvious signs. Instead exposure to high levels of radon over time puts you at risk of developing lung cancer, and it is these symptoms that we often call signs of radon poisoning. If you smoke, this can put you at an even higher risk.
What is the sign of radon gas poisoning?
Coughing. Coughing is another common sign linked with radon gas poisoning. Most victims start off with mild coughing . Over a period of time, the coughing progresses to such a level that a person omits blood during the process.
How many people die from radon gas inhalation?
In fact, recent studies have highlighted the fact that radon gas inhalation kills nearly 20,000 individuals in the United States every year. The irony lies in the fact that the signs of radon gas poisoning are not clearly obvious. Small amount of radon can be easily ...
Is radon poisonous to humans?
Signs of Radon Gas Poisoning. Radon is an odorless and invisible radioactive gas that can make way into your home through gaps and cracks, and thereby pose grave health risks. Those with weak immune system are more prone to develop serious health complications by inhaling this poisonous gas.
Can radon gas be absorbed?
The irony lies in the fact that the signs of radon gas poisoning are not clearly obvious. Small amount of radon can be easily absorbed by our body without the presence of noticeable symptoms. Once inside the body, the radon breaks down into lead that penetrates into our lungs.
Can radon gas cause pneumonia?
Two of the most common respiratory issues that a person can develop due to radon gas inhalation are pneumonia and bronchitis. It’s a must to treat these conditions at the earliest because the conditions can worsen upon non treatment. The fact that radon gas affects our lungs, one can get severely prone to a host of other respiratory issues.
What are the two studies that confirm the radon health risks?
Two studies, a North American study and a European study, both combined data from several previous residential studies. These two studies go a step beyond earlier findings. They confirm the radon health risks predicted by occupational studies of underground miners who breathed radon for a period of years.
Who issued the Advisory on Radon?
(January 13, 2005) U.S. Surgeon General, Richard H. Carmona, issues a Health Advisory warning Americans about the health risk from exposure to radon in indoor air. The Chief Physician urged Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing.
What is the purpose of the World Health Organization's radon project?
In an effort to reduce the rate of lung cancer around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an international radon project to help countries increase awareness, collect data and encourage action to reduce radon-related risks.
How many people die from lung cancer in a 1,000?
For this population about 62 people in a 1,000 will die of lung-cancer, compared to 7.3 people in a 1,000 for never smokers. Put another way, a person who never smoked (never smoker) who is exposed to 1.3 pCi/L has a 2 in 1,000 chance of lung cancer; while a smoker has a 20 in 1,000 chance of dying from lung cancer.
Is radon a serious health problem?
This report by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is the most definitive accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. The report confirms that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and that it is a serious public health problem.
Is radon a cancer?
A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer. Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.
Where did radon cause lung cancer?
Doctors attributed lung cancer in miners in the Czech Republic, South Australia, and Southwestern U.S. to radon inhalation. Despite the eventual realization of the hazards, radon-induced lung cancer in miners remained a significant hazard until the 1970s. Healthcare professionals now acknowledge that inhaling large quantities ...
How long does radon build up?
Levels vary a great deal between locations and, although the half-life of radon is less than 4 days, it can build up in high concentrations, especially in areas of low elevation, such as basements or mine shafts.
What is radon testing?
A radon testing kit can help bring attention to increased levels in the home. Radon is a gas that occurs as the end product of radium decay. Radon poisoning occurs when large amounts enter the body and cause harmful physical changes.
How long should I leave radon test kit in house?
A person with the kit should leave it in the lowest habited room of the house for 2–7 days. They can then send the collected sample to a laboratory for evaluation. If the radon readings are high, a number of methods can help manage the issue. The most common methods include:
How many homes have radon?
Some estimate that 1 in 15 homes in the U.S. has elevated levels of radon. Radon test kits are widely available and generally cheap or even free. There is a selection of radon testing kits available for purchase online. Radon kits include a collector.
What is the short half life of radon?
Other companies attempted to add radon to water, but the short half-life of radon meant that it had disappeared by the time the water reached people.
Which state has the highest radon levels?
Iowa has the highest percentage of homes scoring above a safe radon level, with 71.6 percent of homes potentially at risk. The high levels of radon in Iowa are the result of ancient glaciers that ground down granite rocks over time and deposited them in the form of soil.
What is radiation sickness?
Overview. Radiation sickness is damage to your body caused by a large dose of radiation often received over a short period of time (acute). The amount of radiation absorbed by the body — the absorbed dose — determines how sick you'll be. Radiation sickness is also called acute radiation syndrome or radiation poisoning.
How long does it take to get radiation symptoms?
If you've had a mild exposure, it may take hours to weeks before any signs and symptoms begin. But with severe exposure, signs and symptoms can begin minutes ...
What to do in a radiation emergency?
In the event of a radiation emergency, stay tuned to your radio or television to hear what protective actions local, state and federal authorities recommend. Recommended actions will depend on the situation, but you will be told to either stay in place or evacuate your area.
What to do if you are overexposed to radiation?
If you know you've been overexposed to radiation, seek emergency medical care.
What are the sources of high dose radiation?
Possible sources of high-dose radiation include the following: An accident at a nuclear industrial facility. An attack on a nuclear industrial facility. Detonation of a small radioactive device. Detonation of a conventional explosive device that disperses radioactive material (dirty bomb)
How long does it take for a person to feel a symtom after exposure?
But with severe exposure, signs and symptoms can begin minutes to days after exposure. Possible symptoms include: Nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea. Headache. Fever. Dizziness and disorientation. Weakness and fatigue. Hair loss.
Which body system is most vulnerable to radiation?
Regions of the body most vulnerable to high-energy radiation are cells in the lining of your intestinal tract, including your stomach, and the blood cell-producing cells of bone marrow.