What is a Safe Level of Radon?

Thursday, September 5th by Isamel Lopez

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Radon is a national epidemic affecting millions of homes in the United States. About 1 in every 15 American homes is believed to have elevated radon gas levels. These elevated radon levels pose a major risk since radon is radioactive and can cause lung cancer if you breathe in enough. In fact, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US, just behind smoking.

So, what is this dangerous level of radon? Radon levels are measured in Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) which determines how much radiation can be found in a liter of air. According to the EPA 4.0 pCi/L is the recommended level of radon. This means that if your home has radon levels above 4.0 pCi/L it is highly unsafe, and you should install a radon mitigation system as soon as possible.

So 4.0 pCi/L is a safe level of radon?

Unfortunately, this is not quite the case. The EPA's recommended level of 4.0 pCi/L is certainly healthier than higher concentrations, but it does still leave you with a roughly 7 in 1000 chance of getting sick. A lower radon level is always better, and ideally you want it as low as possible. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the action level is 2.7 pCi/L which is over a point lower than the recommended level. While 4.0 pCi/L might be a starting point, it is not perfect and lower is always better.

What level of radon should I aim for then?

While 4.0 pCi/L or below is the EPA's recommended level, we strongly suggest you get your radon levels as low as possible. While it might be difficult to get your radon level to 0, professional radon mitigation can often get radon levels as low as 0.4 pCi/L. This is equivalent to how much radon you will naturally find in the air outside of your home.

Ready to make sure your home is safe from radon? As a leading network of trusted radon contractors throughout the United States, National Radon Defense can help you find your trusted local radon contractor to test your home or install a radon mitigation system. Contact us today and schedule a free estimate from a radon contractor you can trust!