Radon Test Kits Half Price in January

In an effort to encourage home testing for radon, a potentially harmful gas, the Oakland County Health Division is offering radon test kits for $5 each throughout January - Radon Action Month – at its Pontiac and Southfield offices.

Radon - a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is usually harmless outdoors - is the second leading cause of lung cancer among people nationwide. In Michigan alone, 600 new cases of lung cancer are estimated to be caused by radon each year, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency has identified a moderate potential for elevated radon levels in Oakland County homes.

“You can’t see or smell radon and people tend to ignore the possibility that it might exist at high levels in their homes,” said Tony Drautz, administrator of Oakland County Health Division’s Environmental Health Services. “The best time to test your home for radon is during the cooler months when the windows and doors are closed. The test is quick, easy, and affordable.”

Exposure to elevated radon levels does not cause any physical signs or symptoms. The only way to know your home is affected is to test it. 

“For just a few dollars, you can test your home for radon,” Drautz said. “When radon is trapped under a building it can work its way in through cracks and crevices and accumulate to levels that can be harmful to human health.”

Radon test kits are available at both Oakland County Health Division offices.

• Pontiac - 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 34E
• Southfield - 27725 Greenfield Rd.

If high levels of radon are found in your home, steps can be taken to reduce these levels. For more information, go to www.oakgov.com/health/how_do_i/eh_radon.html or call Oakland County Health Division at 248-858-1312 or 248-424-7190.

Source: Oakland County Health Division