January is radon awareness month and experts urge residents to test their homes for the odorless, invisible radioactive gas naturally released from rocks, soil, and water. Derek Cooper is the Radon educator with the University of Georgia's Radon Program in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Cooper says that buildup of radon can have devastating health effects on unsuspecting residents, significantly increasing the chances of lung cancer.
Nationally, high levels of radon can be found in about 1 in every 15 homes, in Clarke County, the number is twice that. Cooper says homes can be vented if high levels of the gas are discovered.
