Radon and Greenville South Carolina Real Estate
Many home buyers opt not to have a radon test done before they move into their home, but after working with a client with lung cancer who was very particular about his need to have the radon levels lowered to safer levels, I wondered who else would want to know these facts about radon. According to the Environment Protection Agency(EPA), Greenville county has the highest potential for indoor radon compared to other South Carolina counties. This does not mean that the home you buy will have high levels of radon, however you should consider having a radon test done as part of your home inspection.
Here’s what EPA says about Radon in South Carolina…
- Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) (red zones)
- Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (orange zones)
- Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (yellow zones)
Exposure to Radon Causes Lung Cancer In Non-smokers and Smokers Alike
Lung cancer kills thousands of Americans every year. The untimely deaths of Peter Jennings and Dana Reeve have raised public awareness about lung cancer, especially among people who have never smoked. Smoking, radon, and secondhand smoke are the leading causes of lung cancer. Although lung cancer can be treated, the survival rate is one of the lowest for those with cancer. From the time of diagnosis, between 11 and 15 percent of those afflicted will live beyond five years, depending upon demographic factors. In many cases lung cancer can be prevented; this is especially true for radon.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking causes an estimated 160,000* cancer deaths in the U.S. every year (American Cancer Society, 2004). And the rate among women is rising. On January 11, 1964, Dr. Luther L. Terry, then U.S. Surgeon General, issued the first warning on the link between smoking and lung cancer. Lung cancer now surpasses breast cancer as the number one cause of death among women. A smoker who is also exposed to radon has a much higher risk of lung cancer.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked. On January 13, 2005, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, the U.S. Surgeon General, issued a national health advisory on radon. You can also click here to read a study by Dr. William Field on radon-related lung cancer in women.
Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of lung cancer and responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths every year. Smoking affects non-smokers by exposing them to secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke can have serious consequences for children’s health, including asthma attacks, affecting the respiratory tract (bronchitis, pneumonia), and may cause ear infections.
Please understand that if the Greenville area home you are purchasing has high radon levels of radon, there are effective ways to get them lowered. View the EPA’s “Home Buyer’s and Seller’s” guide to Radon. Contact me at 864-642-1645 ext. 102 with your Greenville SC real Estate questions.
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