It's easy to test your home for odorless, colorless radon

DUPAGE COUNTY—With January being National Radon Awareness Month, the DuPage County Health Department urges DuPage County homeowners to be aware of radon dangers and have their homes tested for the presence of this odorless, tasteless and colorless gas.

Radon is a radioactive gas generated by the natural decay of uranium in soil and rocks, estimated to cause as many as 20,000 deaths from lung cancer each year throughout the United States. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today, following tobacco use.

Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. Testing is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon. Do-it-yourself test kits are inexpensive and can be purchased at hardware stores, home improvement stores and over the Internet.

These kits are cost-effective and they are easy ways to screen your home. Professional testing services are also available. National Radon Awareness Month is sponsored by the EPA. Refer to the EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html for additional information including remediation information if radon is found in your home.

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