Radon: A deadly house guest you may be living with

Some 21,000 cases of cancer deaths are blamed on radon each year.

January is Radon Awareness Month. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection wants you to know the dangers of the radioactive gas.

Less than a month ago, Jon Ramella became a first time homeowner in Allentown.

"I like it so far. [It's] a little overwhelming, but exciting, too," Ramella said.

Before moving in, Ramella already had an unwanted and potentially deadly house guest: high levels of radon.

"A little nervous because it's not the thing you want," said Ramella.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas.

"Basically, as you breath it's being deposited into your lungs. Over 10, 15, 20 years, it can increase your risk of getting lung cancer," said Robert Lewis of the Pennsylvania D.E.P.

According to the D.E.P., radon exposure leads to more than 20,000 cases of lung cancer each year.

In Pennsylvania, officials said close to 1,500 people die each year because of the gas, second only to California.

The problem, Lewis said, is that it's in the ground.

"Problem for us is we basically build our homes in the soil, which is where the radon is," Lewis said.

Radon, which stems from soil-enriched uranium, seeps into your home through cracks, cavities, and even your home's water.

The gas is measured in picocuries per liter, or PCIs. The D.E.P. sets safety guideline at 3.9 or below, but Lewis said the average home in the state has a reading of 7. Ramella's had 29.

"We have measured values in the Lehigh Valley well over 100, several hundred even," Lewis said.

Radon residing inside homes was first discovered in Boyertown, Berks Co., in the early 1980s.

A nuclear power plant engineer accidentally discovered his home had a radon reading of over 4,000 PCIs. That's more than 1,100 times what's considered safe.

"The Lehigh Valley is more prone, so the probability in this area are higher than most," said Lewis.

Forty-nine of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have higher than recommended readings of radon.

For Ramella, that meant moving his radon out shortly after he moved in.

"Just got to make sure taken care of quickly as possible," he said.

Unless you have readings in the several hundreds, Ramella said you can still live in your house, but you do need to get the radon taken care of.

On Thursday, from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., 69 News will have D.E.P. representatives on hand to answer your questions about radon over the phone and online.

The number to call is 888-869-8683.