Radon is responsible for roughly 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States every year. It is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked. And yet, according to the EPA, most American homes have never been tested.
Part of the problem is misinformation. People have heard things about radon over the years that simply are not true, and these myths give them a false sense of security. If you believe your new home is safe, or that your neighbor's low test means you are fine, or that your granite countertops are the real problem, you are working with bad information.
Let's set the record straight.
"My neighbor tested low, so my home must be safe too"
Radon levels can vary dramatically from house to house, even next door to each other. Radon depends on the specific soil composition directly beneath your foundation, the type and condition of your foundation, how your home is ventilated, and even micro-differences in bedrock. The EPA has documented cases of one home testing at 2 pCi/L while the house 50 feet away tests at 15 pCi/L. Your neighbor's test tells you nothing about your home.
Source: EPA Citizens Guide to Radon
"Radon is only a problem in certain parts of the country"
Elevated radon has been found in homes in all 50 states. While some regions have higher average levels (the northern Midwest and Mountain states tend to be worst), no area is immune. Here in Georgia, Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, and Forsyth counties are all classified as EPA Zone 1, the highest risk category. Even counties classified as Zone 2 or 3 have individual homes with dangerously high levels. The only way to know is to test.
Source: EPA Radon Zone Map
"New homes don't have radon"
This might be the most dangerous myth on this list. New homes can have radon levels just as high as, or higher than, older homes. Modern construction techniques that improve energy efficiency also make homes more airtight, which means less natural ventilation and more radon accumulation. Georgia does not require radon-resistant new construction (RRNC), so the vast majority of new homes in Metro Atlanta are built without any radon protection. If you just bought or built a new home, test it.
Source: EPA Radon-Resistant New Construction Program
"I've lived here for years and I'm fine"
Radon-induced lung cancer develops over years or decades of exposure. There are no short-term symptoms. You will not cough, get headaches, or feel sick from radon exposure until significant lung damage has already occurred. The EPA estimates radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the US. Many of those people lived in their homes for 10, 20, or 30 years with no idea they were being exposed. The absence of symptoms is not evidence of safety.
Source: EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes
"Opening windows will fix a radon problem"
Opening windows can temporarily reduce radon levels by diluting indoor air with outdoor air. But the moment you close them, levels go right back up. In Atlanta, where summers hit 95 degrees and winters drop below freezing, keeping windows open year-round is not realistic. The energy costs alone would be enormous. More importantly, open windows can sometimes create pressure differentials that actually pull more radon in through different entry points. A proper mitigation system is the only reliable, permanent solution.
Source: EPA Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction
"Granite countertops cause dangerous radon levels"
The EPA investigated this claim and concluded that the data is insufficient to support it. Their research found that nearly 70% of indoor radon comes from the soil beneath your home. All building materials combined, including granite, concrete, brick, and natural stone, account for only about 2.5% of indoor radon. A major TV show once claimed granite countertops were equivalent to smoking half a pack a day and later had to retract the claim. Your countertops are not the problem. The soil under your foundation is.
Source: EPA: Granite Countertops and Radiation
"Only homes with basements have radon"
Any home that contacts the ground can have radon. Slab-on-grade homes, crawl space homes, and even some upper-floor apartments have tested above the EPA action level. Basements do tend to have higher levels because they are surrounded by soil on more sides, but radon enters through any crack, gap, or opening in whatever foundation type your home has. In Metro Atlanta, where many homes have slab foundations, high radon is found regularly in homes with no basement at all.
Source: EPA: Radon in Homes
"Radon testing is too expensive and complicated"
Professional radon testing costs $125 to $300 and takes about 48 hours. That is less than most routine home maintenance tasks. DIY kits from hardware stores cost $15 to $40, though they are less accurate and not suitable for real estate transactions. Compared to what homeowners routinely spend on HVAC maintenance, pest control, or gutter cleaning, radon testing is one of the cheapest things you can do for your home. And considering it detects the second leading cause of lung cancer, the value is hard to overstate.
Source: EPA: Radon Testing
"Short-term radon tests aren't accurate enough to trust"
Short-term tests (48 hours to 90 days) are endorsed by the EPA as a valid screening method. Professional continuous radon monitors (CRMs) provide hourly readings throughout the test period, giving a detailed picture of radon fluctuations. While long-term tests (90+ days) give a more complete annual average, short-term tests are accurate enough to make decisions. If a short-term test shows levels above 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends either following up with a second short-term test or proceeding directly to mitigation.
Source: EPA Protocols for Radon Measurement
"If my home has radon, there's nothing I can really do about it"
This is completely wrong, and believing it is dangerous. Radon mitigation systems reduce indoor radon levels by 95% to 99%. Active soil depressurization, the most common method, has been proven effective in millions of homes across the country. Installation takes one to two days. The system runs quietly, costs under $100 per year in electricity, and lasts for decades. A home that tested at 20 pCi/L can be brought below 1 pCi/L with the right system. Radon is one of the most fixable serious home hazards that exists.
Source: EPA: Radon Mitigation Effectiveness
The Real Takeaway
Every one of these myths has the same underlying problem: they give people a reason not to test. And the single most important thing you can do about radon is test your home.
Testing takes 48 hours. It costs less than a dinner out. And it gives you the information you need to protect your family from a proven cancer risk. If levels are low, you have peace of mind. If they are high, you have a clear, affordable path to fix the problem.
