Can Radon Gas Cause Lung Cancer?
A lot of people are oblivious of the risk of cancer inducing radon gas inside their homes. In some cases, individuals are suspicious and don’t think an silent and invisible gas leads to cancer.Lets put a few facts on the table. You can make up your own mind.
Radon Gas is the natural byproduct of the decay of uranium. It is clear and odorless so we can not detect it with our senses. Uranium occurs naturally in most rock and soil. Radioactive radon gas is being created all around us all the time. Much of the natural background radiation we are exposed to each day is from this naturally occurring material. The low levels of this radiation is not harmful to us. In fact, the levels of radioactivity from naturally occurring radon are well below what we would receive from a dentists x-ray. These low levels are harmless.
Radon becomes a problem when we are exposed to it at high levels over a long period of time. Radon gas must be inhaled to cause injury. Radon inhaled into our lungs causes cell damage. With continued exposure, this constant damage to the cells of our lungs can cause cancerous tumours. Researchers were first alerted to this relationship between radon and cancer when studies found that miners who worked in mines with high levels of radon gas, were experiencing a significantly higher incidence of lung cancer than non-miners.
Although the number one cause of lung cancer by far is smoking, radon is the second leading cause. Radon gas exposure in implicated in over 20,000 deaths each year. Researchers have also found that smokers who are exposed to high levels of radon have a significantly higher risk of cancer than exposure to smoking or radon alone.
How does radon gas enter our homes? The naturally occurring gas can seep into our basements through cracks in the foundation, walls and floor. It can be created by building materials and even out gassing from water. With proper ventilation, these small levels of radon are usually not a problem, however, in today’s well insulated and air tight homes, radon gas can collect in the lower parts of a home and can reach dangerous levels.
In most cases, however, correcting a radon contamination problem is straight forward an low cost. The first step is to purchase a self administered radon test kit These kits are placed in strategic places in your home and collect samples for 2 to 90 days. They are then sent to a test lab in a prepaid envelope.
The removal of radon gas is accomplished using several methods. There are several barriers that can be placed around your foundation or under the floor of new homes. The most common method of mitigation in existing homes is radon sump ventilation . The cost of professionally installed radon ventilation equipment on average cost between £600 and £1200.
Radon is a known cause of lung cancer. Every home owner should be concerned but shouldn’t panic about the problem. There is no immediate danger, only danger from long term exposure. Check with your local municipality and find out if there is a known radon problem in your area. Purchase a low cost test kit and get a definitive answer. If you suspect a radon problem, consult with a radon mitigation specialist in your area and determine what the correct method for correcting the problem is.
