IN North Allegheny Summer 2019 | Page 55

SPONSORED CONTENT BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT PROTECTING YOUR HOME FROM A SILENT KILLER: RADON I f you are like we were, you probably haven’t thought about radon gas unless you just recently moved or sold a home. However, the dangers this odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas causes are life threatening. We didn’t know exactly how deadly its effects were until we were personally affected. Home Radon Pros formed when we lost a loved one to lung cancer in 2017. What we couldn’t understand was why this happened as the person had never smoked. After speaking with the doctors, it was determined that the lung cancer was most likely caused by radon gas. We had the home tested, and the results came back twice as high as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recommended action level. We were devastated to find out that the possible cause of the lung cancer was something that we could have prevented. We felt compelled to learn everything we could about radon in order to spread awareness to local families about this deadly gas. Our goal is that we can educate all of Pittsburgh so that other families do not have to experience the same misfortune. RADON IN YOUR HOME = RADIATION IN YOUR HOME Radon is the number-one killer in people’s homes, claiming more than 21,000 deaths in the United States each year. That is more than drunk driving, house fires, and carbon monoxide combined; these are statistics from the CDC, DEP, and EPA. In the United States, 1 in 15 homes have elevated radon levels above the EPA recommended action level (at this level, the EPA recommends that you have a radon mitigation system installed in your home in order to get your home’s radon levels lowered to safer conditions). Pittsburgh homes are at a much higher risk for elevated radon levels when compared to the rest of the country. Four out of 10 homes in the Pittsburgh area have radon levels above the recommended EPA action level. But just how bad are elevated radon levels? To put it into perspective, most hospitals only recommend you have four chest X-rays per year. If your home has radon levels at the EPA recommended action level, you and your family are being exposed to 100 chest X-rays each year. Radon causes 1 death in the United States every 25 minutes SPONSORED CONTENT Radon levels in North Allegheny are some of the worst in the country. This fact is something that families should not take lightly. Although homes in the area, on average, have high radon levels, protecting your loved ones in your home is easy when you take the proper precautions. Radon Levels by Zip Code in North Allegheny Zip Code Avg. Radon Level 15044 8.0 pCi/L 15005 7.0 pCi/L 15015 10.2 pCi/L 15090 8.9 pCi/L 15101 7.2 pCi/L 15237 7.9 pCi/L EPA Recommended Action Level 4.0 pCi/L What Can You Do to Protect Your Family? The first step to keeping you and your family safe is to have your home tested for radon. When you have professionals like Home Radon Pros handle radon testing for you, you can receive accurate results on your home’s levels typically within two days for a short-term radon test. If your test comes back high, we recommend you have a radon mitigation system placed into your home. Home Radon Pros uses only high-quality radon fans from Festa Radon, a Pittsburgh-based radon fan manufacturer, in all of our homeowners’ radon mitigation systems. 80% of radon mitigation needs can be resolved for under $1,000. 43% OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY HOMES HAVE ELEVATED RADON LEVELS Home Radon Pros is focused on educating families in Pittsburgh communities on the dangers of radon, and encourages those who have had their homes tested to make their friends and family members aware of the potential danger that could be lurking in their home. Home Radon Pros’ website, www.homeradonpros.com, offers a wealth of radon knowledge to ensure that families are kept up to date on radon information. Home Radon Pros is a locally owned business and certified by the Department of Environmental Protection, serving Pittsburgh and its suburbs. Home Radon Pros is offering a $20 discount off of the regular price of $159.00 to those who mention the IN Community Magazine article. Radon is more dangerous for children due to smaller lung size and faster respiratory rate Call 412.584.0799 to Schedule Radon Services with Home Radon Pros. NORTH ALLEGHENY ❘ SUMMER 2019 53