The Risk of Living with Radon - Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of your lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the amount of time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years.
Radon is the second leading cause of cancer.
If you smoke and your radon levels are high, your risk of cancer is especially high. You can't see radon, but it's not hard to find out if you have a radon problem in your home. All you need to do is test for radon. Testing is easy and should only take a few minutes of your time. Make sure you buy a test kit that has passed EPA's testing program or is state-certified.