Radon Gas

Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can't see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home and workplace can pose a danger to your family's health.

Radon naturally occurs from traces of uranium in soils and rocks. It is measured using special monitors and expressed in units of bequerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3) or picocuries per litre (pCi/L). Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America. It claims 20-25,000 lives annually, according to the US EPA and US Surgeon General. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates radon causes up to 15% of lung cancer deaths worldwide.

How does it get into my home or workplace?

The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation. This difference in pressure draws air and other gases, including radon, from the soil into your home.

Radon can enter a home or workplace wherever it finds an opening. This can be where the house or building contacts the soil, cracks in foundation walls and in floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around pipes, support posts, window casements, floor drains, sumps or cavities inside walls. Radon can also enter via building construction materials, such as sand and gravel (cement) and granite (granite counter tops and tile floors) depending on their source and natural uranium content.