Date Published: 01/09/2020 [Source]
The Benzie Leelanau District Health Department wants to remind community members that regular testing for radon (every two years) in your home, office, and school is an important way to protect your health.
The health department will be hosting a "give a can, get a kit" event, where people can bring in a non-perishable item to be donated to a local food pantry, and will get a radon test kit in return.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, behind smoking. Because radon is colorless, odorless and tasteless, the only way to know if you have elevated levels is by doing a test. Testing every two years is suggested as homes settle and slight cracks in the foundation of a home can result in changing radon levels. Radon reduction systems can be installed to help reduce radon to acceptable levels.
Most homes contain some concentration of radon and should be tested. About 12 percent of homes in Michigan have unsafe levels of radon. In some counties, as many as 45 percent of homes are at risk. With testing, radon is easy to detect and remove from a home.