What is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that is in every home, but since it is colorless, odorless and tasteless, the occupant will never know it is there. A radon measurement is needed to determine radon concentration in the building. The concentration of the gas in your home depends on a couple main points: 1) Source of the radon gas, and 2) Entry routes into the house. If the radon concentration is high enough over a period of time, the occupant may develop lung cancer.

Did you know?

... that radon is the number two leading cause of lung cancer next to smoking? Radon is also the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It is estimated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year. According to the BEIR V report, radon accounts for 55% of your annual exposure to radioactivity.

Chemistry of Radon

Radon gas begins with Uranium-238. Uranium has been inside the earth since it was first formed 4.54 billion years ago. Uranium decays over time and then turns into other radioactive metals or gases. This is called "Radioactive Decay". When radon gas goes through the radioactive decay process, some microscopic, radioactive heavy metals are formed. Since radon is a gas, it easily finds its way into buildings. Radon gas itself is not a health risk, however, the metals formed when radon decomposes are a serious health risk. When these suspended particles are inhaled, a dose of radiation is delivered directly to the lungs. Polonium 214 and Polonium 218 are two of the major radiation emitters associated with radon. The table on the right shows the Uranium radioactive decay process. An example of "half-life" is: Radon 222 has a half-life of 3.8 days. So, in 3.8 days, half the radon that was in your house has turned into one or more of the heavy metals listed on the table to the right. Even though in 3.8 days, half the radon has decayed into heavy metals, new radon is constantly entering the house and the cycle repeats itself. Therefore, in closed house conditions, the radon concentration and concentration of heavy metals is always the same.