While radon is a serious problem throughout the country, it can be a particularly dangerous problem for residents of Pennsylvania. The northeast part of the country is home to some of the richest coal and oil shale deposits in the world, but those natural resources often mean an increase in radon gas. If you live in the Bethlehem, PA area, you should have your home tested for radon on a regular basis. Even if your home tested clean before, having the property checked again is a good practice.

If you are not familiar with the problems and health risks posed by radon gas, now is the perfect time to do some research. If you have high levels of radon gas in your home, you could be at risk from lung cancer even if you never smoked a cigarette in your life. That is because radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among those who do not smoke, and anyone who lives in Pennsylvania is at risk.

Radon Gas is a Growing Problem

One of the things that makes radon gas such a threat to those in the Bethlehem area is that the health impact tends to get worse over time. As time goes by, those high levels of radon gas can build up inside your home, and when they do they put you and your family at risk.

The longer you and your family are exposed to radon gas in your home, the more serious the damage can become. That means that every day you put off having your home tested is one more day you and your family could be at risk.

SWAT Environmental Radon Testing in PA

If you have never had your home tested for radon, or if it has been some time since your last test, the first step is to contact a company licensed and certified to do business in the Bethlehem area. It is important to choose a company with local expertise, since every part of the problem has a different issue with radon gas.

When you contact SWAT Environmental, our technicians will come to your home and check the air, water, soil and surrounding area for radon contamination. If the levels are normal, you will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your family, and your home, are protected.

If the testing reveals high levels of radon in your home, SWAT Environmental can work with you to develop a mitigation plan that fits your needs and your budget. Once we determine exactly how and where radon is getting into your home, you will be in the best position to send that dangerous radioactive radon gas packing once and for all.

Radon is a serious problem throughout the entire country, but it can be a particularly vexing issue for residents of the northeast, like those living in the Bethlehem area. The Bethlehem area has long been a hotbed of radon contamination, and that means that you and your family could be at risk without even knowing it.

If you have been living in the Bethlehem area for a long time, you may already have an idea of how dangerous radon can be, but you may not grasp the true scope of the problem. Statistics compiled by the World Health Organization have shown that radon contamination is responsible for some 20,000 deaths from lung cancer each year just in the United States, and some 100,000 deaths around the world. That means that radon gas is responsible for some 15 percent of lung cancer cases worldwide, and there is no reason to believe that the Bethlehem area is any different.

Radon is the Leading Cause of Lung Cancer

In fact, the World Health Organization points out that radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and the number two cause even among smokers. It is safe to assume that those same statistics apply to the Bethlehem area, so it is important to have your home tested as soon as possible. Every day that you delay getting your Bethlehem area home tested is one more day that you and your family could be at risk.

National Radon Awareness Month gives you the perfect opportunity to have your Bethlehem area home tested for this dangerous radioactive gas. The Environmental Protection Agency has declared January to be National Radon Awareness Month, and that designation is designed to spur Bethlehem area residents and others to have their properties tested.

Hire a Local Radon Mitigation Specialist

As part of National Radon Awareness Month, SWAT Environmental will be offering a number of special discounts and other deals for Bethlehem area residents. Many Bethlehem area residents know that they should have their homes tested for radon, but they may hold back because they fear that the cost of radon mitigation is too high. The discounts and special offers from SWAT can eliminate that fear and help you protect yourself and your family.

SWAT Environmental is the largest radon mitgator in the nation, and that helps set them apart from the other radon mitigation services doing business in the Bethlehem area. When it comes to radon mitigation, you need to be careful who you work with. When you work with SWAT Environmental to get rid of radon in your Bethlehem area home, you are working with a company that has a national footprint, and access to a greater number of certified technicians than any other company in the country. That means that when you call SWAT Environmental you can be sure of getting the best service for your Bethlehem, and during National Radon Awareness Month you can get all these services for less.

Radon contamination occurs in many cities and towns throughout the United States. Unfortunately, if you live in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, then you reside in one of the cities that have a greater risk of having radon contamination pollute indoor air. You can’t taste, see, or smell radon, so you won’t even know if your Bethlehem, Pennsylvania home is contaminated unless you get it checked by a radon mitigation specialist or purchase the equipment to do so yourself.

A known carcinogenic or cancer-causing substance, radon occurs when uranium that is present in the ground breaks down. As radon builds up beneath the earth’s surface, it builds up and searches for a way out. Eventually, radon reaches the earth’s surface and exits through the ground into the open atmosphere or through a building’s structure into its interior. Present in many Bethlehem, Pennsylvania locations, radon enters residential homes through cracks that exist in the foundation or basement walls. It can also enter through openings where the utilities enter the building or through the ground water supply.

Studies Indicate that Radon Gas May Cause Skin Cancer as well as Lung Cancer

Several studies have already provided results that show a causal link between radon exposure and lung cancer. However, a recent study performed by researchers connected to the European Centre for Environment & Human Health have shown that exposure to radon may also lead to skin cancer. In particular, the study suggested that higher than normal levels of radon in homes located in southwestern England may be responsible for a higher incidence of non-malignant skin cancer. More studies are recommended before any firm conclusions can be drawn.

Previous Head Coach for Penn State University, Joe Paterno, Diagnosed with Lung Cancer

The world has known for years that residential radon can lead to the development of lung cancer. In particular, it causes non-small cell lung cancer, a treatable form of the disease that is also referred to as epithelial lung cancer, NSCLC, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell lung cancer, and adenocarcinoma. Recently, the head football coach (Joe Paterno) for Penn State University was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer shortly after being fired by the school. Paterno is scheduled to undergo treatment for his lung cancer, which is considered treatable.

Radon Mitigation in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania


If you live in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, you should have your home tested for the presence of radon. If the levels are determined to be higher than what the EPA suggests are safe, you should arrange to have radon mitigation strategies implemented to eliminate this radioactive gas from your home. One of the most effective radon mitigation strategies is the active soil depressurization method. This particular radon mitigation strategy equalizes the pressure between a residential building and the ground beneath it in order to eliminate the vacuum that sucks in the radon vapors. Once radon mitigation has taken place, the home should no longer pose a threat to the residents as far as radon exposure is concerned.

When it comes to getting rid of radon – that colorless and odorless gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer – Pennsylvania residents face a number of unique issues. Those living in the northern parts of the united states often suffer from higher levels of radon contamination, simply due to the geography of the region and the nature of the bedrock found there. Since radon has a tendency to seep in through cracks in the bedrock, those whose homes are sitting on this type of foundation can be more prone to a radon problem than those living in other types of climates.

In addition to the unique geographical challenges that make radon more prevalent in northeastern climates, those residents also face a number of other challenges. One of those challenges is that Pennsylvania is home to many of the oldest homes in the nation. While this is great from a historical perspective, it is not always so great from a radon perspective. As houses get older and begin to settle, they can develop tiny cracks in the foundation, and those tiny cracks an be enough to allow radon to start seeping into the home through the basement and the exterior walls.

Many homes in Pennsylvania also have older windows, especially in the basements and crawl spaces. Those older windows can also allow radon to enter the home. That can make getting rid of radon an even bigger challenge, which is why it is so important to look for a radon company with plenty of experience fixing the unique issues found in Pennsylvania homes.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania residents may have even more reason to worry about radon contamination due to recent developments in the energy market. The northeastern part of the country is home to some of the richest deposits of shale oil and natural gas in the world, and many oil and gas companies are already beginning to tap and exploit this resource. But while that is great news for many Pennsylvania residents, it is also a possible source of worry from a radon perspective.

Call S.W.A.T Environmental for a Radon Mitigation Quote

The techniques used to break the rocks and release the oil and natural gas trapped inside could potentially release radon into the ground, and into the groundwater as well. Pennsylvania residents who live near one of these natural oil or gas formations should be particularly vigilant about having their homes tested for radon. Even if you had a negative radon test a few years ago, it might be worth revisiting the issue again in the light of recent developments.

In the end, it is the responsibility of every resident of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to test their home or business for radon. Radon is colorless and odorless, so unless you test for it you can never truly know that you do not have a problem. Testing for radon can give you peace of mind that all is well, or a heads up that you need to eliminate a potential threat to your health and that of your family members.

The Radon Division of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection urges every homeowner to test his or her residence for radon. This invisible gas—the inevitable product of underground radium and uranium decay—goes undetected without a short-term or long-term test being properly performed. If your Bethlehem home has indoor radon above EPA-recommended levels, you may be at serious risk for lung cancer.

The Danger of Radon in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

More than 20,000 Americans die each year from radon-related lung cancer. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regard levels below 4 picocuries per liter (the standard measure of radioactivity) serious enough to demand immediate action, levels as low as 2 pCi/L are estimated to lead to lung cancer in 4 out of every 1,000 people. Indoor radon is the primary cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States for people who do not smoke. For smokers, radon is the second cause of lung cancer deaths.

Uranium, which decays into radium which further decays into radon, is present in the rock and soil throughout the United States, though it varies in concentration from region to region. Radon is constantly being emitted into the air, but outdoors it quickly becomes diluted and rendered harmless. Once it is trapped under a structure, however, it rises to dangerous levels and often infiltrates both residential and commercial buildings. The great majority of Pennsylvania counties have a high potential for indoor radon levels of 4 pCi/L or greater.

Finding out whether your Bethlehem, Pennsylvania home is safe from radon is relatively simple. You can either hire a professional radon mitigation service to test your home or take the do-it-yourself route by purchasing a radon detection kit from a local home improvement or hardware store. The DIY kits come with explicit instructions on where to place the test, how long to leave it there, and who to send it to for analysis once the testing period (usually 4 to 7 days) is over. If you choose to hire a professional to test your home, make sure he or she is properly certified. Under Pennsylvania law, anyone besides the homeowner or resident performing a radon detection test must have both a valid certificate from the Department of Environmental Protection and a current DEP picture ID.

Handling Radon in Your Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Home

Once you have received your test results, you will be better able to make the determination of whether or not to proceed to the next step. If your home tests positive for high levels of radon, both the EPA and the Pennsylvania Radon Division strongly encourage you to seek radon mitigation. Depending on the construction of your home, radon mitigation may be a quick fix or require a more complex solution. Often, simply sealing cracks in concrete substructures is required. In other cases, you may need to install a sub-slab depressurization system, a pipe and fan system that removes radon from the basement or crawl space under the house and vents it to the open air above the home. Almost all solutions for radon mitigation are economical considering the positive impact they have on your family’s health.