Radon detectors are used to measure the amount of radon in a home. The device is sold for use in the home setting, but can also be used in commercial buildings. The air is tested by the device for levels of radon, which are displayed on the screen or measured by a lab after the test is sent away. The radon detector is an inexpensive way to improve the air quality of the home.

The radioactive gas, Radon, is released when uranium decays. Uranium is found naturally in water supplies and rock formations. Just like carbon monoxide, the radon gas is odorless and tasteless, so it cannot be detected without the use of a radon detector.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is harmful to human health. When the gas is breathed into the lungs, it is thought to have a carcinogenic effect. This means the gas can cause cancer. Most cases of cancer related to radon exposure involve the lungs. More than 1000 people die each year due to exposure to radon gas.

Radon gas is not considered safe at any level, but the gas is naturally occurring so the radon detector is needed to ensure the levels are within accepted levels. The air breathed every day contains about 0.4 picocuries per liter. The radon detector is used inside of buildings because the gas may have no way to escape which can cause a buildup to unsafe levels over time.

Radon can be detected using a short term or long-term test. The short-term test is placed in a building for less than 90 days. This test is then sent off to a laboratory for evaluation. Most short terms tests do not employ the use of readouts screens to report radon levels. These kits are created for lab use only.

The long-term radon detector is left in the home or building for longer than 90 days. It is advised to begin radon detection with a short-term test and then install a long-term test if there are no signs of harmful radon levels in the building. Many long-term radon tests use a screen to report the radon levels in the building. These tests may also have an installed alarm that will sound if the radon levels reach higher than approved levels.

Radon can be removed from the home with kits installed to clean the air. These kits should be installed by a professional team to ensure the kit is working properly in the home to reduce the radon gas levels. Cracks in the foundation of the home can also be corrected to keep radon gas from the ground from seeping into the basement and eventually to the upper levels of the home.

Radon, a colorless and odorless gas found in the air, can concentrate in the home or business without the knowledge of those inside. The gas seeps into the space through cracks in the foundation and collects in the lowest levels of a building. The gas then moves through the home or business via air conditioning systems and natural air movement. When levels reach above a 2, the human body will be more susceptible to cancer, including lung cancer.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are levels of radon in every space at any given time. The most common source of this radon is the soil on which the foundation of the building is sitting. Uranium rock decays and emits radon into the soil. Over time, this radon gas moves up through the layers of soil and then passes into a crawl space or basement through cracks. These cracks do not have to be large as the gas does not need much space to move.

Radon can also be found in the water supplies of the home and business. Private wells and public water systems that use groundwater are most susceptible to high radon levels. While ingesting radon-laced water can increase the chance of stomach cancer, the highest threat comes when the water is used and the radon gas is emitted into the air. Radon can be removed was water systems using point of entry filtering.

The effects of safe radon levels on the body are still harmful, but often cannot be avoided. Smokers tend to have higher risks of lung cancer associated with even the smallest amounts of radon in the air. At a level of 0.4, three smokers out of every 1,000 smokers could get lung cancer linked to the radon levels.

The safe levels of radon are below 2 picocuries per liter. Any levels of radon below 2 are very difficult to correct in the home, but this does not mean a threat is not present due to the “safe” levels.

Smokers and Radon Levels

At 0.4 picocuries per liter, three out of every 1,000 smokers could contract lung cancer. The level 0.4 is the normal level of radon measured in outside air. When those levels are raised to 1.3 picocuries per liter, 20 smokers out of every 1,000 could contract lung cancer. This level is the common, and safe, level measured in most homes.

Non-smokers have a lesser chance of contracting lung cancer from safe radon levels. At 1.3 picocuries per liter, only 2 non-smokers per 1,000 are at increased risk of having lung cancer. This is more than 15 times lower than that of a smoker.

Radon is present in every home and every open space. The safe radon levels are those we are forced to live with because they cannot be removed successfully from the atmosphere. People who smoke have no safe radon levels. Even the smallest amount of radon in the air can increase the chances of contracting lung cancer.