Smoking rightfully takes the spotlight as the most menacing cause of lung cancer—160,000 Americans die because of it every year. But there's another under-publicized threat that also tragically contributes to the lung cancer death toll. So what's the culprit?
It's radon—a naturally occurring colorless, odorless gas, and it's responsible for 20,000 deaths every year, according to the EPA. It's harder to hate radon: there are no big tobacco companies behind it and no addictive product that creates it. In fact, radon can be found in some hot springs and spring water naturally. And the worst part is that the only way to tell if radon's a problem in your home is to specifically have it tested with a home test kit or by hiring a specialist.
Doing radon tests can reveal whether your home has abnormally high levels, which is important because your house is the primary place where the gas collects. But don't worry? there are proven methods of reducing radon levels in your home. Just check in with the EPA, which has a reliable list of radon resources, and contacts to agencies that can test or fix your home.
Check out the Radon Map for areas with recent testing data.