Protect your home with a radon test kit
Radon Action Month, observed every January, is a reminder to protect your home and family from the dangers of radon exposure.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas that forms naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water.
It can seep into homes through cracks in foundations, construction joints, and other openings, building up to dangerous levels indoors.
Prolonged exposure to high levels of radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, surpassed only by smoking.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year, and an estimated 800 Georgians die of radon-induced lung cancer annually.
The risk is especially high for smokers exposed to radon, as the combination significantly increases the likelihood of developing lung cancer. Individuals who smoke and are exposed to high levels of radon are 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer.
Testing your home is the only way to know if radon levels are safe.
UGA Extension’s Radon Program makes it easy and affordable to check your home by offering radon testing kits for just $15. These kits provide a reliable and straightforward method to detect radon levels, helping you take action if necessary.
The EPA encourages mitigation if radon levels are above 4.0 pCi/L.
If elevated radon levels are found, mitigation systems can be installed to reduce the gas and protect your home.
For more information on radon and how to purchase a kit, contact Rebecca Cantrell, radon educator, by email (Rebecca.cantrell@uga.edu) or phone (706-583-0602).