The Berrien County Health Department is spreading awareness about the dangers of radon in the home as part of this Radon Action Month.
Department environmental health supervisor Brian Murphy tells us radon is an odorless, invisible, and radioactive gas estimated to exist in elevated levels in one in four homes across the state.
“It’s basically a breakdown of uranium, which is found in all types of soil, just to give you a history on that,” Murphy said. “But it is a Class Two carcinogen. It’s a gas that actually seeps through your basement or your foundation in your home.”
Murphy says extended exposure to elevated levels of radon lead to real health problems.
“It’s the number two cause of lung cancer behind smoking. So it is a huge public health risk. And in Michigan alone, it’s been estimated by the state that there’s about 5,000 related deaths from lung cancer type ailments from radon gas.”
Because radon can’t be easily observed, Murphy says it can be an especially insidious threat. That’s why it’s important to test the home.
“We get phone calls quite a bit from the public saying, ‘Hey, I’ve got nausea, I’ve got headaches. Do I have radon in my home?’ And the answer is no, that’s not an indicator. You’re not going to have any symptoms. And the only symptom is your increased risk of lung cancer.”
As part of Radon Action Month, the Berrien County Health Department is giving out free radon testing kits for the home. Murphy says they’re simple to use, just requiring a homeowner to leave the test sitting out for a few days before mailing it in for analysis. If elevated radon is detected in a home, there are ways to mitigate the problem.
“There’s simple steps you can take, like caulking your cracks in your floors so the gas doesn’t penetrate your basement floor, or sealants. Those are less aggressive techniques you can use, not always effective, but you really should, if you have elevated levels, really look into a more aggressive remediation, which requires some piping underneath your foundation and fans to Oh, just to release pressure in the soil so radon doesn’t go into your home, rather it goes through the pipes and outside your home safely.”
Free radon testing kits can be picked up all month at the Berrien County Health Department offices in Benton Harbor and Niles. Anyone looking for more information can call 269.927.5623.
