Radon, an odorless radioactive gaseous element, is the second leading cause for lung cancer in the U.S., and the average chance of an elevated level of radon in a home in Tennessee is between 15 and 20 percent.

You can test your home for free with a kit provided through Electrical & Computer Engineering. Associate Professor Mohamed Abdelrahman, working with the Tennessee Radon Program, arranged for the distribution of the kits.

Radon can enter homes through the water supply, cracks in the foundation, porous cinderblocks, floor drains and slab joints. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that most homes be tested for radon and that steps be taken to correct the problem when elevated levels are confirmed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies Putnam County as being in a zone with “moderate potential” for elevated levels of radon.

For more information on the Tennessee Radon Program, call 800-232-1139.

Contact Sharyl Birdwell at 3397 or sjbirdwell for your free kit.