How long does it take for Radon to damage my health?
This is a complex question, but let's break it down.
First. You may ask yourself: “Is Radon harmful?”
You’re not alone if you’re asking yourself this question, but here are some facts:
Radon is often referred to as "the silent killer" by professionals. This is because it's an invisible an odorless gas that affects people by the various forms of radiation it gives off and is can be the cause of cancer in humans after long-term exposure.
Intuitively, you know it’s dangerous. Radon gives off Radiation and you have spent many moments of your life trying to protect yourself from over exposure to radiation - think about the lead vests you wear when you get an Xray or all those bottles of sunscreen you’ve utilized during summer. Those are both things you’ve done to protect yourself from various forms of radiation you can not see, but can cause serious harm and Radon is no different!
There is a well studied impact of Radon on human’s health that shows a clear and present link between the two
Many studies have definitively linked Radon to lung cancer and deaths.
It is estimated that Radon kills 21,000 people per year from Lung Cancer.
In the United States, it is estimated that up to 13% of all cases of lung cancer come from long-term radon exposure.
This risk factor is also increased if you are from a family with a history of lung cancer or have a history of cigarette smoking.
Below is a link to a study that provides more information in detail:
Now that you know Radon is harmful. Let’s talk about: “How Radon affects your health?”
When you breathe in air from areas with high levels of radon (think about a confined, indoor space like a livable basement).
Radon particles in the air you breathe will embed themselves in your lungs and give off various forms of radiation - alpha, beta and gamma radiation.
Over time this radiation can damage the cells within your lungs and be the cause of tumor creation and lung cancer.
These particles won't be stuck in your lungs forever, eventually they will decay and no longer give off radiation, but if you're consistently breathing in air that has high levels of radon then there will always be more radon particles to replace those that decay.
We have confirmed that Radon does, in fact, have an affect on your health and have a better understanding of how it does damage to the human body.
Let’s address the question: “How long do I have to be exposed to Radon for it to damage my health?”
Many people will be looking for a statement like: "if you've spent 168 hours in a house with an average radon level of 34 pci/l that you are now in severe danger of lung cancer”
Unfortunately, radon does not cause acute sickness like a cold or the flu. Radon, like smoking cigarettes, causes damage to humans after prolonged exposure to radon over your lifetime. Nor can it’s impact to the human body be calculated so precisely.
HOWEVER.
Like any form of radiation (Sunshine, Xrays, MCATS, etc) there is guidance published on how much the human body can reasonably take in over a period of time and there are ways to calculate if you are within a normal threshold of exposure.
These formulas can be a bit complicated and you'll need to know what the average level of radon is where you live so there are many assumptions that you'll need to make to get there.
Bottom line.
There is no defined length of time or level of radon that could be listed that would allow us to definitively say "This is when your exposure to radon will lead to cancer", but if you're exposed to higher levels of radon over long periods of time it can significantly increase your change to get lung cancer. We recommend getting your home tested if:
Never had your residence tested before
Completed major renovations since your last test
Not tested your home for radon in the past 2 years.
If there are high levels detected we recommend getting them mitigated by a certified radon professional as soon as possible.