Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that comes from decaying uranium.
Radon is present in nearly all soils, and very low levels of radon gas are found in the air we breathe every day.
Problems arise when radon gas enters your home and gets trapped.
If you're exposed to radon over long periods of time, you may develop lung cancer. Radon poisoning is the second leading cause of lung cancer, right behind cigarettes.
Radon gas begins in the soil, and enters your home through cracks in your walls or foundation. Any house, of any age, in any state can have elevated radon levels.
The amount of radon gas that gets into your home depends on how much radon is present in the soil surrounding your house, and how your house interacts with the soil.
Your neighbors home could be completely safe, while you're radon levels could prove to be dangerous. That's why it is important to know you;re levels, and not just assume you're safe.
So, how do we get rid of radon? If elevated levels are due to the gas being trapped inside, is opening the windows enough to make your house safe?
We'll look at that and more below.