Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is recognizing Radon Action Month by urging residents, no matter where they live, to test their homes for radon, a radioactive, colorless, and odorless gas that can cause lung cancer. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States (after smoking) and responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It can accumulate to dangerous levels inside homes without any noticeable signs. The only way to know if radon levels are high is to test your home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
CCDPH offers free radon test kits to suburban Cook County residents. At-home radon test kits are free and easy to use and can be lifesaving.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRadon is a silent threat, but it is preventable,\u201d said Dr. Kiran Joshi, chief operating officer of CCDPH. \u201cTesting your home is simple, and if high levels are detected, there are effective ways to reduce exposure and protect your health. We encourage all suburban Cook County residents to take this important step.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Radon forms naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, or water. It can seep into homes through:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once inside, radon often accumulates in basements and lower levels, increasing long-term health risks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMany people don\u2019t realize that their home could have elevated radon levels, even if their neighbor\u2019s home does not,\u201d Joshi added. \u201cTesting is the only way to know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If test results show a radon level of 4 picocuries per liter or higher, residents should consider taking steps to reduce exposure. Also consider taking action if levels are between 2 to 4 picocuries per liter.\u00a0 Reducing exposure may include sealing cracks in floors or foundations or installing a ventilation system designed to lower radon levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n Radon can be a problem anywhere.<\/strong>\u00a0Elevated radon levels have been found in homes across all 50 states. That is why it is important for everyone, no matter where they live to test their home for radon. \u00a0<\/p>\n Radon can affect people who don\u2019t smoke.<\/strong>\u00a0Even non-smokers are at risk for lung cancer from long-term radon exposure. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking. \u00a0<\/p>\n Radon has no immediate symptoms.<\/strong>\u00a0There are no immediate symptoms. Over time, exposure increases lung cancer risk. Symptoms may include chronic cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n Testing is the only way to know if you have radon.<\/strong>\u00a0Testing is the only way to know if you have radon in your home and if you do, radon can be fixed by taking steps to reduce exposure like sealing cracks or installing ventilation.\u00a0 It is safe to buy a home with radon as long as proper mitigation is in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n Request your free radon test kit today:\u00a0Radon Test Kit Request \u2013 Cook County Department of Public Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n Questions about Radon test kits and removal can be sent to\u00a0[email\u00a0protected].<\/a><\/p>\n For more information about radon and lung cancer risk, visit the CDC radon education page:\u00a0https:\/\/bit.ly\/2S9itPT,<\/a>\u00a0or visit\u00a0Radon | US EPA.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is recognizing Radon Action Month by urging residents, no matter where…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":391899,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5124],"tags":[960,228262,5386,1818,881],"class_list":{"0":"post-510502","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago","8":"tag-chicago","9":"tag-cook-county-department-of-health","10":"tag-il","11":"tag-illinois","12":"tag-public-health"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115881373300460715","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510502\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/391899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}