Nearly one in 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have elevated levels of radon. Certain parts of the country such as Iowa, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska and Minnesota have high level in most counties.

You cannot see, smell or taste radon gas. Most homeowners do not give radon a thought until they go to sell their home and the buyer requests a radon test. Unfortunately, the seller's family have had years of exposure to radon.

The Environmental Protection Agency states that radon is a dangerous threat to our health. The EPA has set 4.0 pCi/L as the upper limit for radon. You want to stay below 4.0 for good reason. Some people are even concerned with levels between 2.0 and 4.0.

Radon is a class A carcinogen. Exposure to high radon levels will cause lung cancer. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States behind smoking. A smoker's risk of lung cancer significantly increases with exposure to radon gas.

Symptoms due to radon exposure do not play out immediately but it kills 21,000 per year in the United States.

Radon gas comes from uranium deposits in the soil under and around your home. Certain areas of the country, the Midwest, upper Midwest, New England states and the upper Northwest, have higher concentrations than others.

For more information about radon in your state and county visit the EPA website www.epa.gov/radon/whereyoulive.html