Health department offering free radon testing kits

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is offering free radon testing kits through the end of the month or while supplies last.

Joe Frazier, CHA Director of Environmental Health, said testing is the only way to confirm whether a home has a radon problem.

Testing when windows and doors are shut gives the most accurate results. Frazier said radon levels can be different from home to home so the CHA encourages all residents to test.

Testing is recommended every two years, as new cracks form in the foundation and radon levels can change.

Radon is an odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock. There are no short-term side effects, however, long-term exposure to radon increases the risk of developing lung cancer.