What is Radon?
Radon is an invisible gas with no taste or smell, making it nearly undetectable to people. It is emitted from the breakdown of materials in the ground, such as bedrock, granite, phosphate, and more. Radon gas in present almost everywhere, and many people will never even know it is around them. However, when radon gas builds up in one place, long-term exposure can be hazardous. It is actually the second leading cause of lung cancer, preceded only by smoking.
What Causes High Radon Levels?
Modern building practices strive to achieve higher energy efficiency, sealing homes tighter and reducing ways for conditioned, indoor air to escape to the outside. Due to this, there is little exchange of the air between the inside and outside. When radon rises through the ground, it becomes trapped in the envelope of a home like an air-tight bubble. The better sealed a home is, the harder it is for radon to escape. This leads to higher concentration and may need mitigation methods.