Test. Radon in your home's indoor air.

The best method to determine your health risk from exposure to radon gas is to test the air you breathe.  We conduct short-term radon tests using 48-hour continuous radon monitors, which take one measurement every hour for 48 hours to determine an average radon level in indoor air.  Upon completion of the 2-day test, the results are known immediately.

Radon poses the greatest risk at home.

Although radon is present virtually everywhere, it often poses the greatest health risk to us at home.  Some of the radon that enters a home leaves through windows, doors, and other openings outside. The concern is when it accumulates in a home, where we often spend most of our time.

Among non-smokers, the risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer is an equal function of the amount of time exposed to radon and the level of radon present.  For example, the risk of developing lung cancer is roughly the same for a non-smoker who lived in a house with a radon level of 2 pCi/L for 20 years and one who lived with a radon level of 8 pCi/L for 5 years.  (For current smokers and former smokers, lung cancer risk from radon is a function of the amount of time exposed to radon, the level of radon present, and smoking history.)

Radon can enter and accumulate in all types of buildings, including homes, schools, and workplaces.  However, there is currently no regulation in North Carolina requiring that any building be tested for radon.  The majority of radon testing is taking place in homes as individual home owners make the decision to test their living environment and protect their family from a largely preventable health risk.

Both home owners and home buyers should test for radon.

Even if you've lived in your home for a significant period of time, it's never too late to reduce your health risks from radon exposure.  Reducing your home's indoor radon level will reduce your family's risk of developing lung cancer.  The time between exposure to radon and the onset of the disease can be 5-25 years.

It is especially important for home buyers to test the homes they are purchasing for radon.  The decision to reduce indoor radon levels is generally up to the buyer, and there's no better time to "fix" the home than before taking ownership.

___________________________________________________________________________

Radon in Your Home's Indoor Air Our Testing Process
Radon in Granite Understanding Your Test Results
Radon in Water

Back to top ^