North Carolina develops six-year cancer fighting plan

North Carolina state health officials, along with an advisory board, have developed a six-year plan to help fight cancer The plan identifies the most prevalent cancers in the state and recommends strategies to help prevent and fight them.

North Carolina Public Radio spoke with Dr. Ruth Petersen of the Department of Health and Human Services about the plan. Among the cancers mentioned in the report is lung cancer, which according to Petersen, can be caused by cigarette smoke, secondhand smoke, and radon gas.

"So North Carolina has radon in some parts of its geography, so it's important to test homes, especially in those areas, for radon," she said. 

What is radon gas and why is it dangerous?

Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that is occurs naturally in soil. Prolonged exposure to radon can lead to lung cancer.

Every home in North Carolina is prone to radon gas and high radon levels have been found in many areas of the state.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year are a result of radon exposure.

Protection against radon-induced lung cancer starts with early detection

Radon testing is necessary in detecting unsafe radon levels. According to the EPA, a home should be mitigated if radon levels reach 4pCi/L or more.

The NC Department of Health and Human Services provides free radon test kits to families with children who are 1 year old or younger.

If you prefer to have the testing done by a professional, Southeast Foundation and Crawl Space Repair can set you up with a Continuous Radon Monitor, installed by a certified radon testing specialist. If testing results show high radon levels, we can then install a radon mitigation system to reduce the levels in your home. If you already have a radon mitigation system installed, we can inspect your existing system to make sure it is working like it should to keep you protected.

We follow HUD's guidelines for multi-family radon testing and provide solutions for apartment buildings, townhouses, and condos.

To schedule a radon test or request an estimate for radon mitigation, give us a call or fill out our free estimate form.