Time to check home radon levels
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News from Montana Department of Environmental Quality
HELENA – January is Radon Awareness Month, and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality offers steps Montanans can take to test for and reduce radon gas found in homes.
Radon gas occurs naturally from the decay of uranium in rock and soils in Montana and can accumulate inside homes. The gas is radioactive and can damage lung tissue. Studies indicate breathing radon is a major cause of lung cancer, after cigarette smoking, and a leading cause of cancer among non-smokers.
Radon can build to unhealthy levels, especially during colder months when windows and doors are kept closed. The invisible, odorless gas can seep into homes from underground and can reach harmful levels if trapped indoors.
Children, because of their unique physical, biological, and social characteristics, are especially vulnerable to radon exposure.
“Testing for radon is the only way to know if people in your home may be at risk from this cancer-causing gas,” said John Podolinsky of DEQ’s Radon Control Program. “Radon is a problem that can be fixed, and we urge all Montanans to first test their homes with easy-to-use inexpensive kits.”
