Radon Information

Radon: What It Is and What It Does to You

Is Radon Endangering Your Home and Family?

Blackburn Foundation Repair is the exclusive dealer for customers in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming who are looking for a company within the National Radon Defense network. Radon is a dangerous substance that has gained increasing amounts of attention among researchers and members of the media recently because of its connection to lung cancer. While this is certainly distressing news to say the least, it does not have to cause you undue concern if you work with Blackburn Foundation Repair to reduce radon levels in your home.

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What Is Radon?

Radon is a colorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in many parts of the earth. Today, it is known mainly for its ties to lung cancer. In fact, it is now the second leading cause of lung cancer, only trailing behind cigarettes.

Radon is formed when uranium decays. Because uranium is naturally found in all types of soils and rocks, radon is everywhere. Once the radon is formed in the ground, it eventually moves to the surface and flows into the air. This can be problematic for those whose houses have been built on soils with high radon concentrations. Over time, the radon can seep through foundations, oozing into homes where they are trapped.

Because radon is odorless and colorless, homeowners in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming are completely unaware if this gas is causing health problems in their own homes. Sadly, longterm exposure to radon greatly increases one’s risk of lung cancer.

Radon’s Connection to Lung Cancer

The World Health Organization estimates that 15% of the lung cancer cases found around the world today are directly related to radon exposure. In addition, statistics show that approximately 20,000 people die every year from radon-induced lung cancer. Lung cancer is the most deadly form of cancer. However, because many people think that this disease is only caused by poor personal choices, such as smoking, lung cancer gets very little research funding.

Breaking this lung cancer mortality statistic down reveals that radon-induced lung cancer kills one person every 25 minutes, making radon as deadly as other known Class A carcinogens, such as benzene, arsenic and asbestos. Radon has long been known to be dangerous. In fact, it was a key component of the atomic bomb. While household levels certainly do not reach the levels that existed following the detonation of the atomic bomb, radon is still an incredibly dangerous and deadly gas.

Radon in Homes

As mentioned, radon seeps slowly through the soil and leaches into a home. This is especially true in homes built with dirt floor crawlspaces, but it can also happen in homes with concrete foundations. Radon can seep through holes in basement floors, such as through pipes and drains as well as through cracks that form over time. Once in the basement or crawlspace, radon will quickly make its way through an entire home.

While radon from the soil is the most common way that radon enters a home, it can also be found in well water. Drinking water and water used for showers can expose occupants to this deadly gas as well.

How Can You Know if Radon Is in Your Home?

The best way to find out if radon is a problem in your home is to have Blackburn Foundation Repair of South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming test your home. If we discover that dangerous radon gases are present, Blackburn Foundation Repair can provide you with a variety of treatment options along with potentials costs.

At Blackburn Foundation Repair, we are committed to helping both home and business owners reduce their radon exposure and decreasing levels in homes and businesses to under 4 picocuries per liter (pCI/L).

Cigarettes Versus Radon

Although much more is known about the connection between smoking and lung cancer than about radon and lung cancer, both are incredibly serious causes of this deadly disease. For example, in a building that has a radon reading of 4 pCI/L, those in the building have the same exposure to carcinogens as they would if they smoked 10 cigarettes each day.

Through our partnership with the National Radon Defense network, Blackburn Foundation Repair can offer unparalleled services to customers in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming. Call us today at 1 (800) 392-3389 to learn more about our radon testing and mitigation services. Take steps now to protect your home or business from this dangerous gas.