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What is Radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas released from the decay of uranium, thorium, and radium found in rocks, soil, and groundwater. It is invisible, odorless, and tasteless—you cannot detect it without testing.

Outdoors, radon levels are generally low and harmless. Indoors, especially in basements and lower levels, it can accumulate to dangerous concentrations due to limited ventilation. In regions with uranium-rich soil—like much of South Dakota—radon easily enters homes through foundations, cracks, sump pumps, and other openings.

Modern, tightly sealed, energy-efficient homes can trap radon inside, often resulting in higher levels on the lowest floors.

How Does Radon Exposure Happen?

Everyone breathes small amounts of radon daily from outdoor air, but indoor exposure poses the greatest risk. Radon primarily enters homes through:

• Cracks in floors, walls, or foundations
• Gaps around pipes, cables, sump pumps, and utility penetrations
• Floor-wall joints and crawl spaces
• Well water (released into the air when water is used in some cases)

Even neighboring homes can have very different radon levels due to variations in soil composition, home construction, and ventilation. Weather changes, barometric pressure, and daily activities cause radon levels to fluctuate day-to-day and season-to-season—making proper, reliable testing essential.

How Radon Causes Lung Cancer

When inhaled, radon decays into tiny radioactive particles that become trapped in the lungs. Over time, the radiation damages lung cells and increases the risk of lung cancer—the only cancer definitively proven to be caused by inhaling radon.

Risk multiplies dramatically when combined with smoking: the two together create a synergistic effect far greater than either factor alone. Most radon-related lung cancer deaths occur among smokers, but non-smokers are still significantly at risk—radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked.

Scientific evidence comes from:

• High lung cancer rates observed in uranium miners heavily exposed to radon
• Animal studies demonstrating increased lung tumors
• Large-scale residential case-control studies (combined North American and European data) showing that elevated household radon levels proportionally increase lung cancer risk

The Scale of the Problem

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

• Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall in the United States.
• It is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year (estimates range from 8,000 to 45,000).
• About 2,900 of these deaths occur among non-smokers.

Mitigating high radon levels in homes could prevent thousands of these deaths annually. In South Dakota—particularly the Sioux Falls area, designated a high-risk zone by the EPA—elevated radon is common. Statewide average indoor levels are around 9.6 pCi/L (well above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L), and roughly 1 in 3 homes in the Sioux Falls region test above recommended levels.

How to Know Your Risk: Test Your Home

The only way to determine your home’s radon level is to test. No level is completely safe, but the EPA recommends taking action when levels reach 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Many experts also suggest mitigation for levels between 2–4 pCi/L.

• Short-term tests (2–90 days): Give a quick snapshot, commonly using charcoal canisters or continuous monitors.
• Long-term tests (>90 days): Provide the most accurate year-round average exposure.

Average U.S. indoor radon levels are about 1.3 pCi/L; outdoor levels average 0.4 pCi/L. Testing is simple, affordable, and available through DIY kits or professional services. In high-risk areas like ours, regular testing—especially during home purchases or sales—is strongly recommended for peace of mind.

At Dakota Radon Mitigation, we provide free risk assessments based on your zip code, home features, and other factors. If elevated levels are found, our experienced team designs and installs customized mitigation systems—often completed in a single day—guaranteed to reduce levels below 2 pCi/L, verified by independent post-installation testing.