This month the Iowa Department of Public Health is reminding Iowans to test their home for radon. The poisonous gas affects more households in Iowa than any other state in the country.
Gail Orcutt of Pleasant Hill was diagnosed with lung cancer last spring and had to have her left lung removed. When she was home recovering, she came across an article about lung cancer in non-smokers.
"It was all about radon. So we tested our house. It came back higher than it should be," she said.
The life-long non smoker, then discovered her home of 18 years had unsafe radon levels. Now she's working to encourage more Iowans to test their homes for radon.
Health officials say as many as 7 in 10 homes in Iowa may have unsafe levels of the naturally-occurring gas. It can collect inside any type structure, according to Rick Welke, the state's Radon Program Manager with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Some states require new construction to be radon resistant, he said. Orcutt is now part of the Iowa Radon Coalition, a group hoping to establish a similar law in this state.
Experts recommend testing your home every two years for radon. Test kits are available at most major hardware stores. For more information visit www.CancerIowa.org.
Gail Orcutt of Pleasant Hill was diagnosed with lung cancer last spring and had to have her left lung removed. When she was home recovering, she came across an article about lung cancer in non-smokers.
"It was all about radon. So we tested our house. It came back higher than it should be," she said.
The life-long non smoker, then discovered her home of 18 years had unsafe radon levels. Now she's working to encourage more Iowans to test their homes for radon.
Health officials say as many as 7 in 10 homes in Iowa may have unsafe levels of the naturally-occurring gas. It can collect inside any type structure, according to Rick Welke, the state's Radon Program Manager with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Some states require new construction to be radon resistant, he said. Orcutt is now part of the Iowa Radon Coalition, a group hoping to establish a similar law in this state.
Experts recommend testing your home every two years for radon. Test kits are available at most major hardware stores. For more information visit www.CancerIowa.org.
