St. Clair Today

January is Radon Action Month in Michigan and the St. Clair County Health Department is encouraging all residents to learn more about this environmental hazard and test their homes. 

Testing is easy, inexpensive and the only way to know if a home has a radon problem. Free radon test kits are available in January to St. Clair County residents at the St. Clair County Health Department, during regular business hours, at 3415 28th Street in Port Huron. One radon test kit per home. 

You cannot see, smell or taste radon. Radon is a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of radium found in soil and rock. 

Outdoors, radon is diluted by the atmosphere to safe levels. However, radon can concentrate indoors and lead to elevated and harmful radon levels. Radon enters buildings through openings in the foundation floor or walls (sump openings, crawl spaces, cracks) and can become trapped inside. Environmental Health Director, Steve Demick, encourages residents to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about radon and test their home for this gas. Demick explained, “Radon exposure is considered the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Fortunately, testing is easy and high radon levels can be lowered.” Demick continued, “You can’t see or smell radon, so people tend to ignore the possibility that it might exist at high levels in their homes. Winter is the ideal time to test for radon because the windows and doors are closed.” For more information contact the Environmental Health Division at (810) 987-5306 or visit www.scchealth.co or www.epa.gov/radon.To learn more about Health Department services, visit www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi. 

Original source can be found here.