Date Published: 12/09/2019 [Source]
You can't see it, smell it, taste it, or touch it, but it's there: radon. It's also the leading environmental cause of fatal cancer in the United States. Radon is a colorless, radioactive gas that was first discovered by Fredrich Dorn in 1900, and it's a single-atom gas, meaning it has no trouble penetrating the things we rely on to protect us. It's estimated that radon will cause the deaths of approximately 21,000 Americans every year.
What should you do to make sure your home isn't a hub for this radioactive gas? Researchers recommend you start in the basement. To get a more accurate reading, long-term testing should be a priority—especially if you live in an area where high radon levels are common, like Alaska, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Long-term measurement of radon levels start at a recommended time frame of at least three months, but testing for up to one year provides a better idea of how radon levels shift at different times of the year.
If your radon test shows your house has high levels of radon (4 pCi/L or higher), the EPA urges you to take immediate action to preserve the health of you and your family. Though "DIY" methods rarely reduce radon levels significantly, they'll make a small difference and will make other radon reduction methods more effective.