The risk numbers in this tool come from studies of miners who were exposed to radon for many years and later died from lung cancer. Scientists used those results to estimate how many people out of 1,000 might die from lung cancer if they lived in a home with a certain radon level for their whole life. The EPA defines a lifetime as 70 years of breathing the same air in the same house.
4.0 pCi/L
Never-smoker
Number of people in 1,000 that would die from lung cancer if exposed to radon for a lifetime at this level
7 in 1000
Percentage
0.7%
Odds
1 in 143
Smoker
Number of people in 1,000 that would die from lung cancer if exposed to radon for a lifetime at this level
62 in 1000
Percentage
6.2%
Odds
1 in 15
What this means for you
- These numbers reflect decades of exposure, not days or weeks
- Short-term spikes do not create sudden danger
- You can take your time to make a calm, informed decision
- Reducing radon can lower this long-term risk even further