• Radon test kits are free for Oakland County residents
• Winter is the best time to test your home for radon gas, and January is Radon Action Month

Pontiac, Mich. - Take action to protect your health by testing your home for radon during National Radon Action Month. Radon test kits for homes are free for Oakland County residents.

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that can sometimes get into homes through cracks in floors or walls and can accumulate, becoming a health hazard. Elevated radon levels have been found in all 83 Michigan counties, and one-in-four Michigan homes have a high level of radon.

"Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking," said Kate Guzman, health officer for Oakland County Health Division. "Since you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, testing your home is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk of radon exposure."

The Health Division recommends testing homes for radon gas during the winter months; since windows and doors typically remain closed, radon gas is allowed to collect inside and be more easily detected. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) encourages radon testing every two years, as homes settle and new cracks form in the foundation that may cause radon levels to change.

Radon test kits for homes are available at no cost to Oakland County residents at Health Division offices in Pontiac and Southfield:

• North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 34E, Pontiac
• South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield

Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Note that Health Division offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19. Please contact the office ahead of time if you'd like to pick up more than five test kits.

If high levels of radon are found, contact the Health Division's Environmental Health Services at 248-858-1312 in Pontiac or 248-424-7191 in Southfield for more information about radon mitigation and service providers.

Visit epa.gov/radon or oakgov.com/health for more information, or contact Oakland Connects Helpline, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 800-848-5533 or [email protected]. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Bill Mullan, Oakland County Public Information Officer, 248-202-9668