New data shows high levels of dangerous gas detected in the Triangle
New findings from the NC Department of Health and Human Services reveal high radon levels detected in 77 out of 100 North Carolina counties , including all areas within the Triangle . Radon , a colorless , odorless gas linked to lung cancer , poses a significant health risk .
Posted 4:25 PM Dec 17 , 2024
Destinee Patterson , WRAL Multimedia Journalist
New data from the NC Department of Health and Human Services shows 77 of the 100 counties in North Carolina have at least one building with high radon levels . That includes all of the Triangle .
Radon is a type of gas that you can ' t see , smell , or taste . It forms when certain radioactive materials , like uranium , thorium , and radium , break down in soil , rocks and water . The gas can seep into a home or building through cracks in the foundation , walls or floors .
“ If the house has a basement , we usually set [ the radon detection device ] there because that ' s the lowest floor in the home . If not , we set it on the first floor , because with it being the lowest floor on the home , it is closer to the ground , and it normally gives the highest radon levels ,” said Isabella Aikens , a radon technician with First Choice R & R Radon Remediation .