April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

January is National Radon Action Month and an opportune time for Livingston County residents to test for radon in their homes, a health risk facing millions of Americans.

Because families spend more time indoors during the winter months, January is a good time to test for this radioactive, invisible, and odorless gas.

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year are radon-related.

Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon enters buildings through openings in the foundation floor or walls (sump openings, crawlspaces, floor/wall joints, cracks, etc.). Radon can become trapped in buildings and lead to elevated and harmful radon levels.

One in eight Michigan homes is likely to have an elevated radon level. According to a study conducted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, radon is present in elevated levels in about 40% of Livingston County homes. Radon is tasteless, odorless, and colorless, and it has no warning symptoms (it does not cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, etc.). Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk for health issues caused by radon.

The Livingston County Health Department (LCHD) has short-term radon test kits available free of charge during the month of January. Test kits can be picked up at the Environmental Health Division office, located at 2300 East Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI, 48843.

Kits may also be picked up at participating local city and township offices, while supplies last:

• City of Brighton
• Brighton Township
• Cohoctah Township
• Conway Township
• Deerfield Township
• Genoa Township
• Green Oak Township
• Hamburg Township
• Hartland Township
• City of Howell
• Iosco Township
• Marion Township
• Oceola Township
• Putnam Township
• Tyrone Township
• Unadilla Township

Test kits are being offered for free at LCHD through the month of January but may also be purchased throughout the year. Kits are also available for purchase at local hardware stores, home improvement centers, or directly from a radon test kit provider.

The EPA recommends that houses with radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or more be fixed to prevent accumulation of the gas indoors. Radon can be corrected by qualified contractors for an estimated cost of $1,500 to $3,000.

For more radon information, contact LCHD at (517) 546-9858, or the Michigan Indoor Radon Program at 1-800-RADON-GAS. Radon information can also be accessed online at the provided link.