Oakland County residents are encouraged to take action to protect their health by testing their homes for radon during National Radon Action Month. Residents can visit Oakland County Health Division to purchase radon test kits for $5 – half-off full price - during the month of January.
“Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall,” said Leigh-Anne Stafford, director of Oakland County Health and Human Services. “Since you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, testing your home is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk of radon exposure.”
The Health Division recommends testing homes for radon gas during the winter months, since windows and doors typically remain closed during cooler temperatures allowing radon gas to collect inside and be more easily detected. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recommends radon testing every two years as homes settle and new cracks form in the foundation that may cause radon levels to change.
Radon test kits for homes are available for purchase at Health Division offices in Pontiac and Southfield:
• North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 34E, Pontiac
• South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield
Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To purchase more than 15 radon kits, call 248-858-1312 to preorder. Health Division offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 17. After January, the cost of a radon test kit will return to $10.
Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is usually harmless outdoors. The gas can sometimes get into homes through cracks in floors or walls and can accumulate, becoming a health hazard. According to EGLE, approximately 30 percent of homes tested in Oakland County have had elevated levels of radon. The only way to know if a home has high radon levels is to test. If high levels of radon are found, homeowners should contact the Health Division’s Environmental Health Services at 248-858-1312 in Pontiac or 248-424-7191 in Southfield.
Visit www.epa.gov/radon or www.oakgov.com/health for additional information, or contact Nurse on Call, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 800-848-5533 or noc@oakgov.com. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook and Twitter.
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