What are the Dangers of Radon in the Home?
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that forms when radium decays. Occurring as naturally as oxygen, radon is common, but harmful to your health and potentially deadly. Radon is found all over the United States, but some areas have higher levels than others. Radon, like many other elements, occurs naturally, and harmlessly diffuses through outdoor air. But when radon comes into a home or building, the condensed, elevated levels can be harmful to the point of causing lung cancer. A recent NAS (National Academy of Science) report stated that radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the United States, second only to cigarette smoke. While lung cancer is the primary, potential health risk of radon exposure, it’s not the only one. Other effects may include: gastrointestinal problems and stomach cancer. While some claim a connection, there currently is no scientific proof that radon exposure causes such things as fatigue, headaches, respiratory illnesses such as asthm
