The second leading cause of lung cancer in the US is radon. It is crucial to comprehend what radon gas poisoning is, why it is deadly, and what to do if you ever exhibit its indications and symptoms. We will discuss what radon is, its signs of exposure, what to do if you believe you have been exposed, how to perform radon testing in Detroit, and how to protect your family from the risks of radon in the article below.
The best way to keep you and your family safe and prevent exposure is to understand what radon is and to stay updated on the signs of radon gas exposure.
What Is Radon?
Radon is a natural gas in the outside environment in harmless amounts. When uranium in rocks and soil decays, the result is radon. Sometimes it concentrates in residences constructed on uranium-rich soil. It can get into buildings through construction joints, floor or wall fractures, or openings in the foundation around pipes, wires, or pumps. The basement or crawl space typically has the most significant levels of radon.
When an individual breathes in radon gas, it gets into their lungs and exposes them to small amounts of radiation. This might damage the cells in the lungs’ lining and increase the risk of lung cancer. While the more an individual has been living in a radon-contaminated house, the higher the risk is. Furthermore, the possibility of lung cancer increases when an individual gets exposure to radon gas and cigarette smoke.
How Are You Exposed to Radon?
When you breathe in radon, you get its exposure. You can find high amounts of radon in the school, a workplace, or any building. While you mostly get radon exposure in your home, you spend most of your time there. Radon can get into your home through the foundational cracks. Once it gets in through the cracks, it can be trapped inside, which builds up. Furthermore, well water can also be a source of radon gas in the house. In the rarest cases, building materials release radon into buildings.
If the base of your house is on a slab, it has a basement, or it has a crawl space; then radon exposure can occur in your home. However, it is more prone to gather in houses that have a locality where there is a lot of uranium, thorium, and radium in the soil, very well insulation, and tightly sealed
Approximately one in every fifteen homes contains high radon levels. The first level, or basement, typically has the highest radon concentrations.
Symptoms Of Radon Poisoning
Breathing Issues
Did you know that radon exposure ranks second overall and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers? So it should be no surprise that respiratory issues rank among the most severe signs of radon poisoning. This can manifest as recurrent cases of pneumonia or bronchitis, mainly if you were not previously prone to either. Your symptoms will get worse the longer you are exposed to radon.
Raspy Voice
You can start to notice that your voice is changing if you are exposed to radon. Your voice may begin to become raspy or hoarse. People who have been smoking for a long time or have underlying medical problems are more likely to experience this. You should consult your doctor and arrange a radon test for your home if your voice sounds husky than usual and the problem doesn’t disappear.
Loss of Muscle Mass
In addition to your respiratory system, radon can affect other areas of your body. Your general muscle mass reduction is another typical radon exposure symptom. You may have noticed that once-simple tasks are now becoming more challenging. Additionally, you’ll experience weariness while performing everyday tasks like walking. Weight loss and anemia are two other signs of decreased muscle mass.
Chest Pain
You are aware that breathing problems can result from radon exposure. Along with them, you can also discover that your chest pain is persistent. If you get this symptom, go to the doctor or an emergency room. You should never disregard chest pain.
Long-term effects of radon gas exposure can include fatigue, appetite loss, and weight loss. You should take the above symptoms seriously because they are signs of radiation exposure, and prolonged exposure can cause lung cancer.
Radon poisoning might be challenging to identify in some cases. Until you’ve had a lot of exposure, you might not even be aware that you’ve had any. Mainly if you reside on a lower floor or have a basement, it’s crucial to be proactive and have a professional complete an examination.
How to Test Your Home for Radon
Getting your own house’s radon test is imperative. You might think your neighbor’s house’s test came negative, so there’s no need for your test. While this is not the case, as radon levels can vary from one home to the next. The only way to ensure that you and your family don’t undergo radon exposure is to opt for radon testing in Detroit, MI. You might want to do the radon testing independently, but most people look forward to getting help from a professional radon testing company.
Short-term testing
You can use a short-term test if you’re short on time. While some of these tests only measure radon for two or three days, others can measure it for up to ninety days. You must keep your windows and doors shut for the short-term test and refrain from using fans that draw in outside air.
Short-term devices consist of alpha-track detectors, charcoal canisters, charcoal liquid scintillation detectors, electret ion chambers, continuous monitors, etc.
Long-term testing
For long-term testing, alpha-track and electret ion chamber detectors are employed. For more than 90 days, these tests monitor radon levels. You’ll get the most accurate results with a long-term test because radon levels change daily and monthly.
In either case, the tests are easy to use and reasonably priced. The majority of hardware stores sell these.
It’s crucial to follow the package instructions for precise results carefully. Test kits should be kept in the home’s basement or lowest level. There is nothing extra to do once the gadget is in your house.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is usually not dangerous. However, prolonged exposure to high radon levels can increase your chance of developing lung cancer if you smoke.
Don’t wait to start testing for radon because it’s relatively cheap and easy. There are also recognized solutions to make your house safer if you discover too much radon.
If you are looking for a company to have professional radon testing done for your home, then Blessed Assurance is the perfect place to end your search. We ensure that your home is safe and your health is not at stake.
