The Discovery That Changed Home Safety Forever: How Radon Was Found in American Homes Professional Radon Testing Illinois Quality Environmental Testing

In January 1984, a man named Stanley Watras unknowingly stumbled upon one of the most important public health discoveries in U.S. housing history. Watras, a construction engineer, had just moved his young family into a new home in Boyertown, Pennsylvania while working at the soon-to-be-operational Limerick Nuclear Power Plant.

As part of standard safety procedures, the plant had installed radiation detectors at its entrances to ensure workers weren’t carrying radioactive material outside the facility. But one morning, before the plant had even started producing energy, Stanley triggered the alarm — not once, but repeatedly, day after day.

The strange part? The plant itself had no radioactive material yet.

A Shocking Discovery Beneath the Surface

After weeks of confusion, investigators traced the radiation back to Stanley’s home. The source was an invisible, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas called radon.

When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tested the Watras home, they found radon concentrations measuring 2,700 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) — a staggering number considering that the EPA’s recommended safe level is below 4.0 pCi/L.

To put that in perspective: the air in the Watras’ home was more radioactive than air inside many uranium mines.

The Birth of Residential Radon Awareness

The EPA immediately stepped in, using the Watras home as a live testing site for radon mitigation systems. Over the course of several months, they experimented with various methods to vent and filter the gas. Eventually, they succeeded in reducing levels below 4.0 pCi/L and installed an early warning system to alert the family if concentrations ever rose again.

This event became the turning point in recognizing that radon wasn’t just a problem for miners — it was quietly seeping into homes across America through cracks in foundations, sump pits, and well water.

Understanding Radon

Radon is a radioactive gas formed during the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and groundwater. Because it’s colorless, odorless, and tasteless, it can accumulate indoors without detection.

Long-term exposure to elevated radon levels is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths per year, according to the EPA. For smokers, the combination of cigarette smoke and radon exposure increases the risk even more dramatically.

Why the Watras Case Mattered

The Watras family lived in an area known as the Reading Prong, a geological formation rich in uranium. The layout of their property happened to sit above a crack that allowed radon to flow directly into their basement — the “path of least resistance.”

Testing later revealed that half the homes in their neighborhood had elevated radon levels, proving that any home, anywhere, can be affected — not just older houses or those in mining regions.

What Happened to the Watras Family?

Decades later, Stanley and his wife Diane were still living in their home, protected by a functioning mitigation system. Thankfully, despite the early fears, none of their five family members developed lung cancer. Their story stands as a testament to how proper radon mitigation can save lives.

The Importance of Professional Radon Testing

Elevated radon levels do not mean your home is unsafe or unfixable. With proper testing and mitigation, radon can be effectively controlled.

While DIY test kits are available, they often provide limited accuracy and delayed results. To truly understand your home’s radon levels, professional testing is essential.

At Quality Environmental Testing (QET), based in Lockport, Illinois, we provide professional radon testing services using precision electronic monitors that record hourly data over 48 hours — offering fast, certified, and reliable results.

Our technicians ensure every test is performed according to state and EPA standards, giving homeowners across the Chicago South and Southwest Suburbs the information they need to protect their families.

Protect Your Home, Protect Your Health

The Watras story reminds us that the air beneath our homes can hide invisible dangers — but with professional testing, detection and prevention are entirely possible.

If you’ve never had your home tested for radon, or it’s been more than two years since your last test, now is the time. Schedule your professional radon test with Quality Environmental Testing and take the first step toward a safer, healthier home.