Radon Testing
Radon is a cancer-causing, naturally occurring radioactive gas. You can’t see radon and you can’t smell it or taste it, but it may be a problem in your home. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year, according to EPA estimates. That is because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the
second leading cause of lung cancer. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and you are exposed to high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. On January 13, 2005, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, the U.S. Surgeon General, issued a national health advisory on radon.
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Radon can be found all over the world. Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. It can get into any type of building, homes, workplaces, and schools. You and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time, if indoor radon beyond acceptable levels are found.
Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools and household units.
You should test for radon with a currently-recognized national radon proficiency program (NRPP). Hiring an NRPP Certified Radon Measurement Professional is the only way to ensure that test is performed according to ANSI-AARST Standard for Conducting Radon Measurements Homes. The NRPP serves as the credentialing division of AARST and is recognized as the nation’s leading certification program for radon professionals.