Radon in the Home: What You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe
Radon in the Home: What You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe
Radon is one of the most serious—and most overlooked—indoor air hazards. This colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas can enter your home undetected, increasing your family’s risk of lung cancer. The good news? Testing is easy, affordable, and available.
What Is Radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms when uranium breaks down in soil, rock, and groundwater. Outdoors, it disperses quickly and poses little threat. Indoors, however, radon can accumulate to unsafe levels.
Why Radon Is Dangerous
According to the EPA, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for about 21,000 deaths per year. For nonsmokers, it’s the leading cause.
When radon is inhaled, radioactive particles can become trapped in your lungs, damaging lung tissue over time. Long-term exposure increases the risk of developing lung cancer, especially if you smoke.
How Radon Enters Your Home
Radon gas enters through:
- Cracks in floors and walls
- Construction joints
- Basement or crawl space openings
- Gaps around service pipes and sump pumps
Any home—old or new, with or without a basement—can have elevated radon levels.
Who’s at Risk?
Everyone. While some regions have higher natural radon levels (EPA Radon Zone Map), elevated radon has been found in homes in every state.
The only way to know if your home is affected is to test.
How to Test for Radon
Testing is simple with the Safe Home Radon Test Kit. Just place the kit in the lowest livable area of your home for a few days and send it to our certified lab for analysis.
Our kit includes everything you need and meets EPA guidelines. It’s an easy way to get peace of mind.
When Should You Test?
- Before buying or selling a home
- After any renovations or changes to HVAC systems
- Every 2-3 years as part of routine safety checks
Understanding Your Test Results
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Here’s how to interpret your results:
- 4.0 pCi/L or higher: Action is recommended
- 2.0-3.9 pCi/L: Consider mitigation, especially for high-risk individuals
- Below 2.0 pCi/L: Considered a low risk range
How to Reduce Radon in Your Home
If your home tests high for radon, there are proven methods to reduce it:
- Install a radon mitigation system
- Seal cracks and foundation
- Improve basement or crawl space ventilation
Professional radon mitigators are certified and trained to safely reduce radon levels in your home.
Protect Your Home and Family
Radon is a serious health risk—but it’s also one you can control. At Safe Home®, we’re proud to offer a NRPP-Certified Radon Test Kit that deliver trusted results from our certified laboratory.
