Radon Action Week

Governor Granholm has declared the week of October 18-24, 2009, to be Radon Action Week in Michigan.

Nearly 1 in 15 homes in the United States would be expected to have an elevated indoor radon level, and in Michigan approximately 1 in 8 homes would be expected to have a radon problem. That number may be higher in Michigan's southern-most counties, from Kalamazoo to Washtenaw counties south.

Radon is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that is naturally occurring in soil and rock. It enters buildings through openings in the foundation floor or walls (sump openings; crawl spaces; floor/wall joints; cracks; space around plumbing, wiring, or ductwork; etc.).

Radon has no warning symptoms (it does not cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, etc.); the only known health effect is an increased risk of lung cancer!

Any home could have a radon problem. It doesn’t matter whether it’s old or new; energy efficient or drafty; or built over a basement, over a crawlspace, or built slab-on-grade; it could have a problem. All homes should be tested. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it!

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, resulting in more than 21,000 new lung cancers each year (more than 600 of those in Michigan alone!). EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested for Radon. Protect yourself and your loved ones! Test your home for radon today! 1-800-RADON GAS/1-800-723-6642 OR www.michigan.gov/deqradon