Test your home for radon. It could safe your life UW experts say
MADISON, Wis. — Experts at the UW Carbone Cancer Center say you should test for radon inside your house.
Radon exposure is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Smoking is the leading cause.
“When we find ways to prevent cancer, we jump at those chances,” oncologist Dr. Toby Campbell said. “Having your home tested for radon is an easy way to prevent cancer.”
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas found in soil and rock. It can move into water and air which can lead to high levels of gas indoors. According to the EPA, radon exposure leads to about 21,000 lung cancer deaths this year.
“The more exposure you have the more you increase your risk of lung cancer,” Campbell said. “And you only know if you’re exposed with a test.”
You can buy a DIY radon detection kit online or at home supply stores. The kits are mailed to a lab for analysis. There are also over 100 radon mitigation contractors across the state, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
The DHS declared January as Radon Action Month in Wisconsin.
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