Radon is a deadly gas that is penetrating homes across the United States by rampant force. The gas is nearly undetectable by human senses, meaning a person can walk into a home and won’t smell, taste, touch, or see the gas. The only way to detect radon is by having a radon test done in your home. There’s a lot to learn about radon and if you live in West Virginia then be rest assured because there are people ready to get rid of the radon in your home!
Radon Basics
Radon gas comes from uranium that can be found in most soil, rock, and sometimes in water. The uranium will over time breakdown and create radon gas, which is toxic when ingested over an extended period of time and in concentrated amounts. Radon gas is everywhere, but when the gas is in a location such as a work office, home, gym, or school, the likelihood of getting sick increases.
Radon is considered to be toxic because it’s a proven carcinogen.
Lung Cancer
Not only does radon tend to damage lung tissue, but it also causes lung cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), radon causes 15 percent of the world’s documented lung cancer cases. The Environmental Protection Agency has also concluded that radon is the cause of 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
Even Low Amounts of Radon Can Be Dangerous
Although many people think that they’re home doesn’t have radon, and if it did that it wouldn’t be enough to cause a problem; they could be sadly mistaken. Although many homes are radon-free, that doesn’t mean it’s wise to not have your home tested. There are ways to remove the radon from your home, so if your home has radon it can be eliminated and your livelihood can be protected.
“We know that radon is a carcinogen. This research confirms that breathing low levels of radon can lead to lung cancer,” said Tom Kelly, the director of the EPA’s Indoor Environments Division.
“Most radon-induced lung cancers occur from low and medium dose exposures in people’s homes. Radon is the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking in many countries,” said Dr. Maria Neira of the WHO.
In West Virginia
According to the studies performed by Air Chek, Inc., the national average of radon levels in the U.S. is 1.3 pCi/L (Picocuries) and most of the homes in West Virginia maintain a higher level of radon than that! Thankfully, the warning level is 4.0 pCi/L, but as the experts from the EPA and WHO have discovered, even low amounts of radon are toxic.
West Virginia has some pretty high radon levels. In fact, only six of the 50 counties in the state are at a minimal risk of having radon gas in their home. Let’s look at some statistics for some counties in West Virginia. These statistics aren’t meant to scare you, and they don’t prove that your home has radon just because you live in one of these counties or anywhere in West Virginia. In fact, if your neighbor’s home has radon that doesn’t mean that your home has radon. So, the best thing to do is to have your home tested, because the statistics show that there are high levels throughout the state. It’s just best to be safe.
According to the EPA there are three zones for radon levels: high, moderate, and minimal concern. There is a high concern for the counties that lie on the northern and north eastern border of the state. There are six counties in the minimal concern zone: Kanawha, Boone, Logan, Mingo, Wyoming, and McDowell. Every other county is in moderate danger. Here are some examples of each zone beginning with the lower levels to the higher levels.
Kanawha County: 2.8%
Above 4.0 pCi/L – 17%
Between 2-3.9 pCi/L – 29%
Marion County: 3.7 pCi/L
Above 4.0 pCi/L – 31%
Between 2-3.9 pCi/L – 23%
Preston County: 10.3 pCi/L
Above 4.0 pCi/L – 44%
Between 2-3.9 pCi/L – 15%.