The Silent Killer

Its interesting when you mention radon to many people you don’t get much of a reaction. Many don’t even know what it is and those who do don’t seem too concerned about it. The second you mention lung cancer it seems to trigger alarms and immediately you have people’s attention. To what can we attribute this passive attitude towards such a lethal resident in many of our homes? Could it be that people just aren't properly informed or do they not see the importance?

What is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil. What makes it difficult to detect and probably what may contribute to its lack of awareness is the fact that it is completely undetectable by the human senses. It is a completely colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas and is an intermediate product in the radioactive decay of thorium and uranium to lead [1].

Why should You Care?

Though radon is gaseous, its decay products at times form solids which are able to deposit themselves on surfaces as well as on dust particles within the home. As these particles circulate in the air throughout the house, they are inhaled and are able to enter into the lungs where they remain. When in the lungs their radioactive nature contributes drastically to the increased risk of developing lung cancer [2].

http://www.radoncontrols.com/

Radon can enter your home any place where the house touches the soil and there is an opening. Possible entry points into your home include: cracks in foundation walls and floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around service pipes, support posts, window casements, floor drains, sumps or cavities inside walls, dirt floors. The amount of radon in your home will depend on many factors; the amount of uranium in the soil, the number of entry points into your home, how well your home is ventilated [2].

Radon testing

Radon is typically found in all provinces and territories in Canada, but concentrations vary depending on uranium levels found in the soil. Though it is expected that the majority of homes have some radon, only those whose levels surpass the recommended exposure amount require testing (200 Bq/m3). The only way to know the levels of radon in your home is with the use of an approved detector  [3].

http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/radon.htm

Getting your home tested is not only the first step in protecting yourself but also it ensures that your family is safe from the effects of radon. It is highly recommended that test for radon be done during the winter months. At this time of the year the windows within the home are typically kept closed, preventing the gas from escaping the home. This allows it to accumulate as the months go by, therefore testing at this time of the year would provide a more accurate reading as to radon levels within the home  [3].

Radon test kits can be purchased over the phone, on the internet or from home improvement retailers. The kits include instructions on how to set up the test as well as how to send in results for analysis. To test your home for radon typically costs between $25 - $75, which to many would be a minor investment to provide peace of mind.

The the even that high radon levels are detected in your home, solutions are most not overly expensive and  can be quickly fixed.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1012392/is-there-radon-under-and
-inside-the-home-baker-home-inspection-today

So... What’s stopping you?

In understanding the severity of the risks that radon exposure poses to the Canadian population, what public health professional would like to know is what would it take to get every person in the country to agree to get their homes tested for radon. What are some of the barriers that are stopping you from getting your home tested?

Please tell us how you feel about radon testing and what would inspire you to get your home examined.

- Craig Edwards [2014-03-13]

For more information;

The Lung Association
http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/pollution-pollution/indoor-interieur/radon-radon_e.php

Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/en/prevention-and-screening/be-aware/harmful-substances-and-environmental-risks/radon/?region=on

References;
1. Health Canada. Radon. Environmental and Workplace Health. Jan 20, 2014. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/radiation/radon/index-eng.php
2. Dew, W. U.S Environmental Protection Agency. National Radon Action Month. Jan 17, 2014. http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2014/01/national-radon-action-month/
3. Government of Canada. Testing Your Home for Radon. Home and Garden. Nov 30, 2012. http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/environment-environnement/home-maison/radon-eng.php

http://www.1888pressrelease.com/october-20-26-is-radon-actio
n-week-radon-action-week-is-hel-pr-496655.html