Huron Perth Public Health Encouraging Residents to Test Their Homes for Radon

by Bob Montgomery

November is Radon Action Month in Canada, and Huron Perth Public Health is encouraging residents to test their homes for radon.

Public Health Inspector Chris Boyes says radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is the result of the break down of uranium in soil and rock. He says it's found everywhere, including most homes in Canada, but it's invisible, odourless and tasteless. Boyes says when radon is released into the outdoor air, levels are low and generally not a concern. However, when radon enters enclosed spaces, like homes, levels can build to unsafe amounts and become harmful to our health. Boyes says 200 becquerels per cubic meter is generally considered the acceptable level of radon in a home but it's very difficult to know when that level has been exceeded without long term testing. Boyes points out radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

Boyes says since you can't sense it, Huron Perth Public Health recommends that people get a long-term test kit and place it in the lowest part of their home where they spend at least four hours a day. The test should be in place for at least three months and then be sent to a laboratory. 

More information about radon and radon testing can be found at www.hpph.ca.