This month is National Radon Action Month, and DHEC is encouraging all South Carolinians to test their homes for radon. Request your free home test kit today!

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and the No. 1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

Any home can have a radon gas problem. The only way to determine if your home is trapping radon is to test.

Quick Facts about Radon

• Breathing in radon can change the cells in your lungs, which increases your chances for getting lung cancer.
• Radon is responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S.
• Smokers who are exposed to radon have a much higher risk of lung cancer.
• Elevated radon concentrations have been found across South Carolina.
• Radon levels of 70.0 pCi/L and higher have been found in South Carolina.
• Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels.
• Homes can be modified to reduce radon levels.
• New homes can be built with radon-resistant features.
• South Carolina has nationally certified radon professionals who can measure radon and fix homes with elevated radon.

The South Carolina Radon Program provides radon test kits to homeowners free of charge. Request your free home test kit at www.scdhec.gov/radon.