Test for radon You can’t see, smell or taste it, but radon in
your home can create big health problems for you and your
family. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, radon exposure is
the second-leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause
among non-smokers. Between 15,000 and 25,000 deaths nationally
are attributed to radon exposure, as many as 250 in New Jersey
alone. To increase awareness of this issue, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency has designated January as
National Radon Action Month. "This is nothing to take lightly,"
said Henry A. Scheyer III, proprietor of Your Home Inspector
LLC, Ridgefield. WHAT IS RADON? Radon is a colorless, odorless,
tasteless, radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of
uranium and forms in igneous rock beneath the earth’s surface.
Radon is found in almost all soil, and traces may show up in
well water and water supplies in certain geological locations.
It also has been discovered in some granite products, such as
countertops and floor tiles. Radon lev