January is designated Radon Action Month by the Environmental Protection Agency.
What is Radon? Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, and colorless gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in the ground or in water. Radon is more commonly found in areas close to Lake Erie because of the high occurrence of bedrock in those areas, which make it for difficult for the gases to escape the soil as they normally would.
Why does it matter? Radon is the secondmost cause of lung cancer, just behind smoking.
If you have a basement or have common areas underground, you should periodically test for Radon. Home-use Radon tests can be purchased for $15-$30 depending on the type of kit (either long-term testing or short-term testing). For more information regarding Radon Action Month, please visit http://www.epa.gov/radon/nram/