Radon and Your Health
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, according to the EPA, responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year. Risk comes from cumulative exposure over years, not a single day, and it rises sharply for smokers exposed to elevated radon at the same time.
How the exposure actually works
Radon is a radioactive gas. When inhaled, it and its decay products can damage lung tissue over time. Unlike a chemical odor or visible hazard, there's no way to sense it, radon has no smell, color, or taste, which is exactly why testing rather than noticing something is how it gets found.
Is there a "safe" level?
The EPA treats radon risk as roughly linear with no fully safe threshold, meaning risk decreases as exposure decreases, but doesn't hit exactly zero until exposure does. The 4 pCi/L action level is a practical line for when mitigation is clearly worth the cost, not a claim that everything below it carries zero risk. The EPA specifically notes that levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L are still worth considering for mitigation, especially in a home where people spend a lot of time.
Smokers face substantially higher combined risk
The EPA and multiple public health agencies note that radon and smoking act synergistically, not just additively, meaning a smoker living with elevated radon faces meaningfully higher lung cancer risk than either factor would suggest alone. This is one of the more specific, well-documented reasons testing matters more for some households than others.
What this means practically
Testing is inexpensive relative to the stakes, and mitigation, once a system is installed, is largely a one-time cost with only a small ongoing electricity bill (see our cost guide). Given York County's EPA Zone 1 designation, testing isn't an overreaction here, it's the standard, sensible step for the area.
Haven't tested yet?
Testing is the first step. Reach out and we'll point you in the right direction.
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