Radon Resource Guide for Pennsylvanians

View the Radon Resource Guide for Pennsylvanians (2022) from the Bureau of Radiation Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The guide provides fast facts about radon and contact information for the DEP Radon Division, Radon Monitoring Section, and Radon Certification Section.

EPA Factsheet: What is Indoor Air Quality?

July 2025: This Environment Protection Agency (EPA) factsheet (also available in Spanish) discusses what is indoor air quality, common sources and factors that can impact indoor air quality, and best practices for improving and maintaining good indoor air quality.

Health Effects of Radon

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that forms naturally in soil and rocks and can migrate into homes and other buildings through basements, slabs, and foundations. Once inside a building, radon can accumulate to high concentrations, resulting in radiation exposure to occupants. The harmful health effects of radon occur when radioactive particles are inhaled and settle in the lungs, where they can damage lung tissue and increase the risk of lung cancer over time.

Children are especially vulnerable to radon exposure. Because their lungs are still developing and they breathe more rapidly than adults, children can inhale higher doses of radiation relative to their body size. In addition, children in ECE programs may spend many hours each day in the same classroom or indoor space, increasing the duration of exposure if radon levels are elevated. Long-term exposure during these critical periods of growth can increase a child’s lifetime risk of developing lung cancer.

See information from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on Health Effects of Radon in English and Spanish.

Pennsylvania Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction

Revised in April 2024 this Radon Reduction guide (PDF) from the PA Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Radiation Protection explains radon, remedies, and much more from their PA Radon Information Center.