Radon Gas Causes 14 Percent of Lung Cancer Deaths

April 21, 2014- In Canada, the second-leading cause of lung cancer is the invisible and odorless gas called radon, present in all homes.

Radon, a heavy gas formed when uranium in the ground breaks down, enters people's homes through cracks and openings in the foundation. The gas is radioactive, and is responsible for 847 lung cancer deaths in Ontario each year, about 14 percent of all fatalities related to the disease.

Health Canada says a radon concentration exceeding 200 becquerels per cubic meter should be of concern for homeowners. A becquerel measures the amount of radioactive activity in a location.

Radon is more prominent in basements and lower floors. To reduce a home's radon levels, it is possible to seal cracks in a home's foundation. A homeowner can also improve their home's ventilation.

But the most effective way to reduce a home's radon concentration is to install a sub-slab depressurization system. The system consists of pipes installed in a house's substructure that divert radon to the surrounding air. The cost to install such a system ranges from $2,000 to $3,000.

Carnow Conibear is the only commercially licensed radon testing firm in Chicago. For more information on the services offered by Carnow Conibear please contact us at (800) 860-4486.

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Carnow Conibear and Associates is a demonstrated leader in the occupational and environmental health professions since 1975. To find out more, click here or call us at (800) 860-4486.