According to the Lung Cancer Alliance, lung cancer causes more deaths in the United States than any other cancer, and over 60 percent of new lung cancers are diagnosed in people who never smoked or who managed to quit smoking even decades ago. While age and smoking are the greatest known causes of lung cancer, there is an invisible risk lurking inside the home. Radon, an invisible, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in soil and rocks, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, with an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Radon seeps through the ground and into buildings, and is a major source of indoor air pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency, in its Radon Fact Sheet,  suggests all homeowners have their home tested for radon levels because any home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have an elevated radon level.