Date Published: 03/03/2007 [Source]
Despite the occasional public service announcement about radon gas, it's easy to ignore the hazard. That's because if you do happen to have high levels of it in your house, you won't be able to tell -- it's invisible, odorless and tasteless, but it's not something to take lightly.
Once inside, radon "decays into radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe," said George Faggella, staff environmental scientist with the California Department of Health Services' Indoor Radon Program. "As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy." These bursts can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer.