Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless radioactive gas. Radon is formed when uranium in the soil breaks down. Radon produces radioactive decay products that when breathed into a person's lungs can cause lung cancer.
Based on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment of risk for radon in homes. Radon in the air is estimated to cause 21000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United states.
North Dakota ranks as one of only two states that has every county in the EPA Zone 1, which is the highest level. Roughly 60 percent of all North Dakota homes will test over the 4 picocuriers per liter level. If your home tests 4 picocuries per liter or higher your home should have a mitigation system to reduce radon levels.
All homes can be fixed. Testing is done with a continuous monitor, which gives a print out of the hourly radon levels.