Carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors are commonly found in many homes. What many people don't realize is the need to also have a radon detector as well. It can seem pointless to spend money on something small that doesn't seem to do much, but once you realize what radon really is, it might just change your mind.
Out of over a hundred elements to the periodic table, radon is the 86th. It is a gas therefore it has no taste. It has neither a smell, nor a color, to determine its visibility. It is found in nature, and being a noble gas, it is not very volatile. It is created beginning with elements uranium and thorium decaying into radium. Radium, in turn, decays and forms radon. It is not just any gas though, as more commonly known oxygen, carbon dioxide or even propane. It is a gas that can, as it decomposes, turn into dust like particles that can cling, or adhere to surfaces.
Many might read this and begin to think why, unless one was a chemist or a physicist, would anyone need to know about radon? As mentioned above though, radon isn't just any gas. It is formed from radioactive elements decomposing, and it is the only gas that under natural normal conditions has radioactive isotopes. As it decomposes its decay products are radon daughters. It is radon's daughters that form fine particles, like dust, that can adhere to surfaces. It is an absolutely fascinating element, and deadly as well.
Radon is dangerous to people for many reasons, besides its obvious radioactivity. It is a gas with no smell, or taste. It can't be seen or found visibly. You cannot detect it with the naked eye or other senses. It is found in nature and commonly occurring, and, it could be in your home right now, and you could have absolutely no idea that it is there. It can be found in buildings, especially in crawl spaces and basements, and also in springs. If breathed in, radon's daughter's fine particles can, because of their ability to cling, end up coating the inside of your lungs. Spending time in a home or buildings with this dangerous gas causes cancer. 21,000 people in America die every year from lung cancer resulting from radon inhalation. Studies have been done proving the correlation between radon and lung cancer. It is the second largest cause of lung cancer in America for smokers, and the number one cause of lung cancer in those who do not smoke.
Why don't more people have radon detectors in their homes? Some might not know what grave danger they and their families might be in without one. Some just don't think it could happen to them. Others don't know about radon at all. That is why spreading information about the need for radon detectors is really important. The more people know, then the more deaths due to cancer caused by radon can be prevented. Radon detectors cost so little in comparison with what could happen without one. Please, get one today. You can order directly from S.W.A.T. Environmental by calling 1-800-667-2366.