January is Radon Action Month, and the Macomb County Health Department is encouraging Macomb County residents to include radon testing among their resolutions for a healthy new year by giving away free home testing kits.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. 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. 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 every two years.
Radon production occurs naturally in soil and rock. 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. Radon levels are typically highest during the winter months due to factors like frozen ground, reduced ventilation, increased indoor activities and the stack effect, where rising warm air creates a vacuum that pulls air from lower levels. As a result, winter is the ideal time to test your home.
Radon exposure does not cause immediate symptoms, yet extended exposure to elevated radon levels increases one's risk of lung cancer. Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family.
While supplies last, Macomb County residents can reserve a radon test kit here free of charge. County residents can also reserve a test kit by calling the Macomb County Health Department at 586-469-5236. After you have reserved your kit, it will be available for pick-up at the Health Department’s Central Health Center in Mount Clemens located at 43525 Elizabeth Road during normal business hours of 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
For more information on radon and the free testing kits, visit https://bit.ly/47j7LaK.
Image of radon test kit
