Significance

• The U.S. National Cancer Institute lists radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths, causing 15,000 to 22,000 deaths each year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends treatment for homes with radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter or higher.
  
  

Considerations

• Radon is not confined to any specific geography, so the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends testing all homes below the third floor for radon levels to determine whether treatment is necessary. Homeowners can test either with do-it-yourself kits or through a professional contractor.
  
  

Types

• Radon contractors will determine the best course of treatment based on a home's design. Treatment usually includes a vent pipe system and fan that forces radon outside, along with sealing foundation cracks and other openings to lower radon seepage.
  
  

Cost

• The cost of radon treatment varies. As of 2010, the average cost was $1,200, according to the NCI.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Newly built homes can include radon-resistant features, which municipal or state governments might require. Check with builders or owners when buying a home to see if these features are included, but the EPA recommends testing radon levels even in radon-resistant homes.