HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — January is 'Radon Action Month', and radon experts say levels in northern Alabama are typically higher than the rest of the state.
FOX54 News reporter Jasamine Byrd has more on what this means to residents.
State radon contact Nick Swindall explained the best place to test radon exposure levels in your home. "Where you spend most of your time in your home, in the living room or in the bedroom, just somewhere that you spend most of your time and the lowest live-in level of your home."
Radon is one of the number one leading causes of lung cancer in nonsmokers attributing to 21,000 deaths per year.
"The way the radon interacts with your lungs is, well, the rate on gas is in your lungs and it goes through the decay process, enzyme alpha that is emitted. if the alpha particle strikes the viola in the lungs," he explained.
It can cause damage. " We really recommend, if you're a smoker to do radon tests because people who smoke are ten times more likely to have issues with radon and have an adverse health effect than someone that doesn't smoke," Swindall said.
Owner of 'A-to-Z Home Inspector Services, LLC', Spero Zervos, said the national rate of proficiency program is an important national certification and, "If your home inspectors do not have that, then I would not qualify to test in your home," Zervos said.
Swindall believes everyone's home needs to be tested for radon gas. "We have free test kits from our website and til supplies run out. but they can also be found at local big box stores."
The good news is you can easily purchase your own easy-to-use testing kit with instructions that take you through the step-by-step process. Experts recommend testing at least twice a year.