Because radon is directly linked lung cancer, the Lake County Health Department is offering $10 radon testing kits to encourage residents to test their homes in recognition of January being National Radon Action Month.
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“There is believed to be a direct connection between radon and lung cancer, so it can increase your risks of lung cancer if there is radon in your home,” said Leslie Piotrowski, spokeswoman for the health department.
According to American Cancer Society information posted http://www.cancer.org, “the overall risk of lung cancer from radon is even higher in smokers and former smokers.”
Radon is an odorless and colorless natural gas that sees from soil and rock through cracks in homes’ foundations and basements.
“It has to do with what’s in the soil, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a brand new apartment building or a house that is 100 years old,” Piotrowski said. “It has to do with the soil and cracks in the basement. It doesn’t at all matter how old your house is.”
Radon test kits include a charcoal-type substance that collects gas particles when left exposed to the air. Kits include instructions and a postage-paid envelope to mail the kit to a laboratory for analysis, which is included in the $10 cost, according to a health department press release.
“The best time to check for radon is during cold weather when windows and doors remain closed,” health department interim director Mark Pfister said in the release.
The best place to place the test kit is in basements or rooms nearest the soil, Piotrowski said. Testing kits can also be purchased from area hardware or building supply stories, as well as online retailers.
“Radon exposure can also occur from some building materials if they are made from radon-containing substances,” according to the American Cancer Society website. “Almost any building material made from natural substances, including concrete and wallboard, may give off some level of radon. In most cases these levels are very low, but in a few instances these materials may contribute significantly to radon exposure.”
Granite counter tops may expose people to different levels of radiation, although experts, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have said granite countertops are “very unlikely” to increase radiation above normal levels, the American Cancer Society website said.
For more information, contact the Lake County Health Department’s Ecological Services at 847-377-8020.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.