After smoking, radon is the lead cause of lung cancer in many households. Since it is invisible and mixes with the air, it can easily be inhaled by your family members, posing a significant threat to their health.
Every year, around 21,000 people die from lung cancer caused by radon. Therefore, it is highly suggested to do radon testing in Vernon, New Jersey. These tests make sure the air inside your house is safe to breathe and determine if there is any amount of radon present in it.
What Is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive, colorless, and odorless noble gas that forms from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Since it can form inside the earth, it can very easily seep through the cracks of the foundation of your house, office, and other buildings and make its way inside the property.
People can also get exposed to the chemical through the air that comes from the doors and windows. Since it cannot be seen or smelt, it is impossible to detect it without help.
Why Is Radon Dangerous?
When you inhale radon gas, it exposes your lungs to small amounts of radiation. According to scientists, small quantity exposures are harmless, and since it is naturally occurring, humans cannot eliminate the gas. However, excessive amounts of radon in the air in certain areas can damage the lung cells in your body and eventually lead to lung cancer.
People who smoke while living in a highly radon-exposed environment are at a greater risk of developing the disease.
Factors Of Getting Lung Cancer From Radon
Your chances of acquiring lung cancer from radon will depend on the following factors.
- Whether your home is based in a highly radon-exposed region.
- Whether you spend a lot of time at home.
- Whether you smoke or have a history of smoking.
How To Protect Yourself And Your Family From Radon Exposure
The EPA has set the “acceptable” limit of the radon level in a house at 4.0 pCi/L. However, it is recommended to maintain levels between 2.0 and 4.0 for extra precaution.
You can purchase random radon test kits from your local hardware store or online to determine whether you have high radon exposure. These are cheap and easy to use. Testing only requires opening the package and keeping the device in a room for the instructed amount of time.
Short-term testing can take anywhere from a few to 90 days, whereas long-term testing takes more than that. After that, you need to mail these tests to an appropriate lab for analysis and wait for the results.
If you want the process done professionally to ensure double care, you can hire radon testing services from reputable companies.