Radon Gas a Silent Killer in Illinois & Missouri

Radon is an ever-present danger for any and all homeowners. Radon is a radioactive carcinogen, which means that it can cause cancer. While radon gas does exist outdoors, the real danger comes from elevated levels inside the home. There are several ways that radon gas can enter a home, ranging from cracks in the foundation to building materials used to construct the home.

Mercola.com lists several risk factors associated with radon:

• The levels of radon in your indoor environments
• The amount of time you spend in an area with elevated radon levels
• Smokers have a higher risk of developing lung cancers associated with radon
• Getting drinking water from an underground well

The Environmental Protection Agency has published a map displaying average radon levels geographically. Outdoor air generally has a radon level around .4 pCi/L. Most homes have an average radon level 1.3 pCi/L. Mercola.com recommends ordering a radon test kit to determine if your radon levels reach 4 pCi/L. The EPA estimates that if 1,000 smokers were exposed to radon levels reaching 4 pCi/L, approximately 42 of them would develop lung cancer; whereas, only 7 non-smokers would develop lung cancer if exposed to the same elevated radon levels.

Woods Basement Systems has radon test kits available for concerned homeowners to test for radon in the Great St. Louis area, Springfield-Decatur, Champaign-Urbana, Southeastern Missouri, and Southern Illinois. Our radon mitigation specialists can design and install a mitigation system to reduce radon exposure and provide peace of mind.