Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. It is also an invisible threat which makes it even more dangerous. You cannot see, smell, taste, or feel radon. There are no immediate symptoms that will alert you to the presence of radon. It typically takes years of exposure before any problems surface.

 

Well, you can't smell it, see it, feel it, or taste it, so it's probably over-hyped. Surely the amount of "radiation" in radon must be minuscule. 

 

Maybe in a perfect world. To put it in perspective, a family whose home has radon levels of 4 pCi/l or more is exposed to approximately 35 times as much radiation as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would allow if that family were standing next to the fence of a radioactive waste site. 

 

Throughout the past five years, there has been an average of about 32,000 motor vehicle deaths in the U.S. The EPA estimates that as many as 36,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon each year.

 

Some scientific studies of radon exposure indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. This may be due to their higher respiration rate and their rapidly dividing cells, which may be more vulnerable to radiation damage.

 

The US EPA, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, and National Safety Council have recommended testing your home for radon because testing is the only way to know your home's radon levels.