Radon is a radioactive gas.  It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Any home may have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Radon
 

Radon levels can soar during the colder months when residents keep windows closed and spend more time indoors. As many as 22,000 people die from lung cancer each year in the United States from exposure to indoor radon gas.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the country is indoor radon gas. Approximately one home in 15 across the nation has unacceptably high radon levels in some areas of the country, as many as one out of two homes has high levels. (Radon logo and picture provided by the EPA)

The EPA Recommends:

• Test your home for radon -- it's easy and inexpensive.
• Fix your home if your radon level is 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
• Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases may be reduced.

Radon from soil gas is the main cause of radon problems. Sometimes radon enters the home through well water.  In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon, too. However, building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves.