Lung cancer is most preventable by not smoking. But what about being exposed to a colorless, odorless radioactive gas? Have you ever pondered about your lungs being poisoned slowly over time and eventually this form of ionizing radiation leads to cancer? Did you know that you could catch this deadly carcinogen while sitting at home, breathing in your living room air?

Radon is the No. 1 leading cause of lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers with more than 20,000 people dying each year in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

This gas is a natural product of Uranium 238 and low concentrations of it are found pretty much everywhere. Though everyone is exposed to radon, people’s homes can be a source of high levels of radiation and it’s important for people to understand the impact radon can have on an individual’s health.

Here’s the good news. The Upper Peninsula now has five certified radon contractors, a 67% increase over the last year. Two of the contractors are new, located in Au Train and Ishpeming respectively, following a radon mitigation training course offered in Marquette by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy last September. Last year’s course was the first time it was offered in the U.P.

Here’s what you need to know. Everyone is at risk to radon exposure and each region in the country varies depending on the soil and the home you live in. Radon travels into the home in different ways such as through cracks in the floors, gaps around pipes or through the amount of rain and snow during the winter months where the ground becomes moist and ventures down into those cracks in the foundation. The basement is the biggest risk area.

Short-term testing is the quickest option and the test remains in the home for two to 90 days using charcoal canisters, alpha trackers and other monitors. Long-term testing is more than 90 days and it provide a year-round reading of a home’s average radon concentration levels.

For more information about radon, where to find radon test kits and radon measurement and mitigation contractors can be found online at michigan.gov/radon.