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Summit County Public Health and the Ohio Department of Health are teaming up to offer free radon test kits for Summit County residents during January - National Radon Action Month.

(Jonathan Haynes, Creative Commons Generic 2.0)

AKRON, Ohio - Radon is colorless, odorless and tasteless. And it could be lurking in your home.

As many as 50 percent of Ohio homes have high levels of radon, according to Ohio Department of Health estimates. While radon exposure rarely causes short-term health issues, high levels of exposure are thought to be responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year among non-smokers in the U.S., according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates.

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is released from the ground and can enter a home through cracks in the foundation. High radon levels can be present in any type of home, regardless of structure age, heat source or building materials used. Radon that seeps inside a home breaks down into particles that are breathed in.

Although radon exposure often goes unnoticed, radon detection kits can spot high radon levels, which is why Summit County Public Health and the Ohio Department of Health are teaming up to offer free radon test kits for Summit County residents in honor of National Radon Action Month (January).

To request a radon test kit, visit www.scphoh.org, download and fill out the coupon, and return it to the address provided. If high levels of radon are found, a radon mitigation system can be installed in your home.

Additional information about radon, including the potential health risks, can be found on the Ohio Radon Information System website, http://radon.utoledo.edu/, or by calling the National Radon Hotline, 1-800-55-RADON. A list of certified testing and treatment companies is also available through the Ohio Department of Health website, https://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/rp/radlic/radon.aspx, or by calling 1-800-523-4439.