Yes, radon is a risk factor in the development of lung cancer. It is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas emitted from uranium, a naturally occurring mineral in rocks and soil. The only way to tell if your home has an elevated amount of radon is to use a reliable radon test. The age of your home or the amount of radon measured in your neighbor's house is not an indicator of the level of radon in your house. Testing is simple and inexpensive.
If a new home is being built radon reduction methods can be planned for and installed during construction. The publication, Building a New Home: Have You Considered Radon? http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/builder.html provides guidance. For information on radon reduction in an existing home read the EPA's Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction, http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html
Reference: A Citizen's Guide to Radon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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