Radon gas typically moves up through the ground to the air above, and can enter your home through cracks or other openings in your foundation. Radon which escapes into the air is not a problem, since it is quickly diluted. However, radon gas that enters your house can remain trapped there, especially during the winter months when windows and doors are kept closed. As radon gas moves up through the soil, it can be drawn into your home through air pressure differences. The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than the pressure in the soil around the foundations and basement floor slab.
Any home can have a radon problem - new or old, well sealed or drafty, with or without basements.
Because of this difference in air pressure, your house acts like a giant vacuum, drawing radon gas in through any opening in the foundation or basement floor. Radon may also be present in well water , and can be released into the air in your home when water is used for showering and other household uses. In most cases however, radon entering the home through water is a small risk compared to radon entering your home through the soil. Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. The radioactive decay products of radon gas, can attach themselves to lung tissue when radon gas is inhaled.