SHAWANO, WI – With winter in full swing, local health officials are reminding residents that radon exposure can increase significantly when homes are sealed tight during colder months. Jennifer Steinbach with the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department says radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is present in the air we breathe every day, typically at levels too low to detect.
Steinbach explains that radon is colorless, odorless, and impossible to see without testing. The gas is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in the ground and can enter homes through cracks in foundations, crawl spaces, and basements, quietly accumulating indoors.
January is considered one of the most important times of the year to test for radon. Health officials say homes are often sealed tightly during winter to conserve heat, which can trap radon inside and allow levels to rise to potentially dangerous concentrations.
Long-term exposure to elevated radon levels can have serious health consequences. Steinbach warns that prolonged exposure increases the risk of lung cancer, noting that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause overall, behind smoking.
Health officials stress that testing is the only way to know whether radon levels inside a home are unsafe. Residents are encouraged to test now, while winter conditions create the highest risk for exposure, and to take corrective action if elevated levels are found to help protect their families’ long-term health.
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