You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. But it still may be a problem in your home. When you breathe
air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General of the
United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today.
If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
* Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to
EPA's 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths
from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1999-2001
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2002 National Safety Council Reports.
You Should Test for Radon
Testing is the only way to find out your home's radon levels. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing
all homes below the third floor for radon.
If You Are Selling a Home...
EPA recommends that you test your home before putting it on the market and, if necessary, lower your radon levels.
Save the test results and all information you have about steps that were taken to fix any problems. This could be a
positive selling point.
If You Are Buying a Home...
EPA recommends that you know what the indoor radon level is in any home you consider buying.
Ask the seller for their radon test results. If the home has a radon-reduction system, ask the seller for information they
have about the system.
If the home has not yet been tested, you should have the housed tested.
If you are having a new home built, there are features that can be incorporated into your home during construction
to reduce radon levels.
The radon testing guidelines in this Guide have been developed specifically to deal with the time-sensitive nature
of home purchases and sales, and the potential for radon device interference. These guidelines are slightly different
from the guidelines in other EPA publications which provide radon testing and reduction information for
non-real estate situations.
This Guide recommends three short-term testing options for real estate transactions. EPA also recommends testing
a home in the lowest level which is currently suitable for occupancy, since a buyer may choose to live in a lower area
of the home than that used by the seller.
Radon Has Been Found In Homes All Over the U.S.
Radon is a radioactive gas that has been found in homes all over the United States. It comes from the natural
breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon typically moves up through
the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Radon can also
enter your home through well water. Your home can trap radon inside.
Any home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes
with or without basements. In fact, you and your family are most likely to get your greatest radiation exposure at home.
That is where you spend most of your time.
Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have an elevated radon level (4 pCi/L or more).
Elevated levels of radon gas have been found in homes in your state.
EPA Map of Radon Zones
MICHIGANThe U.S. EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey have evaluated the radon potential in the U.S. and have developed this
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