Radon - what is it?

Most home buyers and few home sellers have heard of radon.  However, most really are not sure what it is.

The Pennsylvania DEP has this to say:  Radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer, is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and rock and gets into the air you breathe. It moves through the ground and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation where it can accumulate to unsafe levels. Because it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon.

Here are some good resource links that will be able to answer most if not all your radon questions:

• What is radon?
• What You Should Know About Radon - pamphlet 
• EPA map of radon zones 
• Who can test of fix your home?
• Home buyer's and seller's Guide to Radon 
• FAQs 
• Instructional Videos 
• Bureau of Radiation Protection 
• Other radon websites 

   The good news is that there are simple ways to fix a problem if needed.