Radon and Your Health
Radon is a radioactive, colorless, odorless gas, occurring naturally as the decay product of radium. Radon is also a leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking.
The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis* ranked radon as the number one home health risk, ahead of injuries from falling, poisoning, fires/burns, and more.
A radon gas atom releases a radioactive particle when it decays. If this release occurs when the atom is inside the lung the particle can penetrate a lung cell, which can cause cell
damage, and in the worst case, result in cancer. The more a person is exposed to radon, the greater the risk of lung cancer.
Radon most often enters the home by moving up through the soil and into the basement. When present in well water, radon can be released into your home’s atmosphere whenever water is exposed to air (through showers, washing machines, kitchen sinks, etc.).
What to do about radon in your home?
The first priority is testing. Radon in your home’s air can come from the soil and/or well water so Air & Water Quality recommends that both the air and water in your home be tested for radon concentration. The average Maine house has an air-radon concentration above the maximum level recommended by both the state and U.S. EPA. If you have a high radon test result, call us to discuss the next step. Resolving this issue protects you and your family’s health and adds value to your home. Talk to any local realtor and you will learn that radon is an issue that home buyers nearly always want resolved before they will purchase a house. Addressing the problem sooner rather than later will benefit you now as an occupant and in the future if you decide to sell your home.
How can Air & Water Quality help?
Air & Water Quality can fix your radon problem whether it is coming from your soil or well water. We have eight licensed radon mitigators on staff with a combined 75 years of experience. We have installed radon mitigation systems in thousands of homes throughout Maine. We always use licensed professionals to perform our system installations. And we provide fast, free estimates. Contact us today!
* “Ranking Risks in the Home,” Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, April 1998, Volume 6 Issue 4


