What is Radon?
Radon is an odorless, tasteless, radioactive, cancer causing gas that leaks into your home from the soil surrounding it. Pressure differences in your house can cause your home to act like a vacuum, drawing in the radon gas from the soil.
The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) map of radon zones puts Maine in the highest risk bracket for the potential of elevated radon levels in homes.
What does this mean for you? The EPA estimates that radon causes an average of 21,000 deaths due to lung cancer each year. It is the second largest cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today, second only to smoking.
It can enter your home in many ways, the most common being:
- Cracks in solid floors (i.e. basement)
- Cracks in walls
- Gaps around service pipes (i.e. vents/drains/exhausts)
- Your water supply
For more information about radon and the risks that radon in your house poses, please visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) page: A Citizen’s Guide to Radon