DEAR DR. GOTT: After 14 years of using our finished basement rec room on a daily basis, I have discovered the presence of radon gas. The level ranges between 6 and 7. To disassemble the room is far too costly on our retirement income. Recent lung X-rays are OK, so what is our risk of cancer after all these years of daily exposure?
DEAR READER: Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium. It is found in almost all soils and permeates the air we breathe. It moves through the ground and into buildings and water supplies through cracks or holes in foundations and solid floors, through gaps in suspended flooring, around service pipes and through walls. It can enter through well water. [Read more...]