Understanding Radon in the Home: Why Winter is Extra Risky

Winter is a season for cozying up at home, but could there be health implications of spending more time inside?

The short answer is yes, especially if your home has elevated levels of radon.

What is Radon and How Does it Enter Homes?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that’s a product of uranium. It can move up through the ground and enter your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation and build up when it’s trapped inside.

Some level of radon is found in nearly all soils, but not all amounts are considered dangerous. Radon exposure can happen in any home, no matter if it has a basement, slab or crawl space. However, radon tends to build up more in homes that are very well insulated and tightly sealed.

How Are You Exposed to Radon?

You’re exposed to radon when you breathe it in. You can’t see, smell or taste radon, so you won’t know when you’re around it. Radon is part of the environment and generally isn’t harmful when you experience short-term exposure to it, but long-term exposure to high levels of radon can put you at health risk.

What Are the Health Risks of Long-Term, Elevated Radon Exposure?

Long-term exposure to high levels of radon can be very dangerous to your health. Radon’s radioactive properties can damage the lungs, making radon the second-leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.

People who have never smoked make up about one in seven lung cancer deaths per year—and many of those deaths could be attributed to long-term radon exposure.

Related: Atypical Symptoms of Lung Cancer You Should Know About

Why is Radon Extra Risky in Winter?

Radon levels tend to be higher during the winter months. That’s because atmospheric pressure changes, precipitation, and the thermal stack effect can cause higher levels. In addition, when homes are closed up to shut out the cold, airflow decreases, and radon gasses are more likely to build up.

What is My Radon Risk?

Radon is a health risk across the entire United States, with 1 in 15 homes across the nation having elevated radon levels above the EPA recommended level. In some parts of the country, as many as 50% of homes have unsafe levels of radon.

Fortunately, protecting yourself from radon exposure at home is relatively simple and inexpensive to do. Here are three things you should do to protect yourself against radon.

1. Test Your Home

The only way to truly know the radon level in your home is to test. No matter where you live, what type of foundation you have, how much ventilation you have, or how your neighbor’s house tested, it’s important to test your home for radon.

 Radon test kits are inexpensive and are available online or at your local hardware store.

2. Understand Radon Levels

Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The EPA indoor action level is 4.0 PCi/L. This means that if your home’s radon levels are 4.0 pCi/L or higher according to your radon test, fixing your home is strongly recommended.

Exposure to just 4.0 pCi/L of radon is like smoking eight cigarettes per day or receiving 200 chest x-Rays every year—and those numbers multiply when radon levels go up.

3. Get Your Home Mitigated if Needed

If your home has radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or higher, the EPA recommends having a mitigation system professionally installed. A mitigation system reduces radon levels in the home by drawing in contaminated air from under the foundation of the home and releasing it safely above the roofline. According to Forbes, the average homeowner will pay around $1,000 for a radon mitigation system.

Be sure to hire someone who’s certified to provide professional radon mitigation.

Want more? Check out our blog, 4 Ways to Prep for the Winter Now

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