Map courtesy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

You can’t see, smell, or taste it, but radon can be present at a dangerous level in your home and can lead to health risks later in life.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declares January as National Radon Action Month, a time to test radon levels in your home and take steps to mitigate its dangers.

Washington County Environmental Health Director Jennine Wolf shares the threat radon poses in Iowa, “Radon levels in Iowa can be very, very high because we’re right in the middle of the radon hot pocket of the United States. A lot of the tests that I’ve done have shown that over half the people who get their house tested have high levels of radon.”

According to the EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in the U.S. and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. Wolf recommends homes be tested for radon every three years, and test kits can be purchased at the Washington County Environmental Health office.