January Is Radon Awareness Month!

January Is National Radon Awareness Month Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as National Radon Action Month to bring awareness of the dangers of radon gas found in homes across Atlanta.   You can’t see, smell, or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 20,000 Americans each year. In fact, the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools, and other buildings for radon. Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk, and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure.  If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family.

 High levels of radon in homes usually come from the surrounding soil. Radon gas enters through cracks and openings—such as sump pump lids and plumbing features—on the lower levels of your home. Hot spots include basements, first-floor rooms, and garages, but radon can be found anywhere in your house.

 Radon has been found in elevated levels in homes in every state, including metro Atlanta. No area of the state is free from risk. Indeed, two homes right next to each other can have vastly different radon levels. Just because your neighbor’s house does not have an elevated level of radon does not mean that your house will have a low radon level. One-third of the homes in North Georgia have elevated levels of radon gas, it does not matter if the home is new construction or built duing the 1950's, or if the home has a basement, crawlspace, or concrete slab- all homes in North Georgia have some levels of radon gas. Radon testing is not required during the construction process or during real estate transactions. The only way to know if your home is under the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L is to have it properly tested.

Atlanta Is Located In The EPA's Highest Radon Zone- Zone 1