Date Published: 01/22/2020 [Source]
You can't see, smell or taste it — but radon lurking in your home in winter months when doors and windows stay closed, which allows radon to collect, can cause lung cancer.
January is Radon Action Month, and radon tests are available for free or at discounted costs through the end of the month.
According to the Macomb County Health Department, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test for it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. surgeon general recommend testing all homes for radon.
You cannot see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in any home, including new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without a basement, according to a press release from the Macomb County Health Department.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, formerly the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, recommends testing for radon every two years due to homes settling and new cracks forming in the foundation, potentially causing radon levels to change.
According to the Macomb County Health Department and the Oakland County Health Division, radon, an invisible, odorless gas, is produced naturally in soil and rock, and is usually harmless outdoors. It moves upward through the soil and enters buildings through cracks and openings in the foundation floor or walls. Once it is indoors, radon can accumulate to unhealthy levels.
According to EGLE, approximately 30% of homes tested in Oakland County have had elevated levels of radon.
Testing is recommended to be conducted in the wintertime for the most accurate reading in the home, according to the Macomb County Health Department.
"Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer overall," said Leigh-Anne Stafford, the Oakland County health officer, in a prepared statement. "Since you cannot see, smell or taste radon, testing your home is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk of radon exposure."
According to the EPA, radon reduction systems work and are not too costly.
"Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels. Nearly 1 in 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels," according to the EPA.
If your home tests high, radon contractors primarily use a vent pipe system and a fan, which pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it outside, the EPA states.
"The system, known as (the) soil suction radon reduction system, does not require major changes to your home. Sealing foundation cracks and other openings makes this kind of system more effective and cost-efficient," the EPA states.
Also, the EPA says that before planning any major structural renovation, such as converting an unfinished basement into living space, it is important to test the area for radon.
And because major renovations can change the radon level in any home, the EPA says to always test again after work is completed.
Radon levels can vary greatly from home to home, according to the EPA, so the only way to know if a problem exists is to take a test.