RADON IS REAL
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell or taste radon, but
it may be a problem in your home. In Onondaga County, New York, 47% of the
10,000 homes tested had radon levels of 4% pCi/L or more, as of October 2018. In
Cortland County, the percentage was even higher. (Source: NYS Department of
Health website)
To put that into perspective, a family whose home has radon levels of 4 pCi/L is
exposed to approximately 35 times as much radiation as the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission would allow if that family was standing next to the fence of a
radioactive waste site.
TEST
If your home has high concentrations of radon there are ways to reduce it to
acceptable levels. If you have performed only a single test, the US EPA recommends
a follow-up test before fixing your home. Radon levels fluctuate naturally and it is
important to know if the initial test was an accurate assessment of your home’s
average radon level or whether the high levels could have been caused by unusual
weather.
