‘I didn’t think it would be in my house’: Lung cancer survivor warns of radon risks

globalnews.ca:

lung cancer at small percentages, but I didn’t think it was a problem for me and I didn’t think it would be in my house.”He then ordered a radon detector and measured the levels of the gas in his Kelowna home. He found that radon levels were spiking in parts of his house, particularly in the basement where his son played Lego, he said.“I knew right then that this is probably the main cause of my lung cancer,” said Khoo, adding that he is thankful doctors were able to find the cancer so early, as he didn’t have any symptoms.“The radon detector was the most important $300 I spent in my life,” he said.

He immediately hired a specialist to mitigate the radon by installing a system that safely diverted it through a pipe under his house.As the weather takes a chilly turn and Canadians start retreating more indoors, Khoo and other health experts are warning about the invisible threat of radon gas that can quietly seep into homes, offices and schools.Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock, according to Health Canada.When it’s released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern, but in enclosed spaces, like homes, it can accumulate to high levels.Uranium is a common element found everywhere in the earth’s crust. As a result, radon gas can be found in almost all homes in Canada, Health Canada says.The health regulator estimates that around seven per cent of homes across the country have high levels of radon.