January is Radon Awareness Month.
Why should I be concerned with Radon?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon gas is estimated to cause thousands of lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas that you cannot see, smell or taste. The Surgeon General has stated that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. According to The Ohio Department of Health (ODH), 21,000 people die each year in the United States from lung cancer due to radon exposure.
How does radon get into my home?
Radon can get into your home, workplace or school multiple ways. Cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes and cavities inside walls are some common ways radon gas can enter. Radon is from the natural decay of uranium that is found in soils.
How do I test my house for radon?
There is a link on the Ohio Department of Health’s website where Ohio homeowners can register for free radon test kits. There are also other resources and links on the ODH website about radon in homes and schools. Visit https://bit.ly/radonodh. Test kits can also be purchased at hardware stores and home improvement stores.
The following is the EPA Radon Website for further links, publications, and hotlines regarding radon. https://www.epa.gov/radon
Radon Hotline: 1-800-SOS-RADON (767-7236)
(Source: Environmental Protection Agency. Brian King is the Director of Environmental Health at Fayette County Public Health).
