If there was a seven per cent chance the roof of your house would collapse, would you ignore it or would you get your roof inspected?
That’s the case for Canadian homeowners when it comes to radon gas. Four years ago, a survey tested 14,000 homes across the country and found that seven per cent of Canadians live in homes contaminated with high concentrations of radon gas.
Radon is a colourless and odourless radioactive gas generated naturally from the breakdown of small amounts of uranium found everywhere in the soil and rock. It gets into buildings through cracks in the foundation, floor drains, or openings for pipes. All home and buildings contain some radon; the question is how much — and the only way to know is to test.
“Radon is a silent killer in Canadian homes,” said Mike Holmes Jr., home renovation expert, television personality, and prominent radon awareness campaigner. “The good news is that if a radon test confirms your house is contaminated, fixing the problem is not only easy but also relatively inexpensive.”
Breathing high concentrations of radon over a long period increases the risk of developing lung cancer. An estimated 16 per cent of lung cancer cases nationwide are attributed to radon exposure, making it the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the country. At least eight Canadians die every day from radon-induced lung cancer.
November is Radon Action Month in Canada, and Peterborough Public Health has a limited supply of free radon test kits for local residents avilable throughout the County and City of Peterborough, and at Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations.
“Radon is responsible for anywhere from 1,080 to 1,550 cancer cases in Ontario each year,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health for Peterborough Public Health. “We strongly encourage residents to take advantage of these free kits and test their homes to keep their families safe.”
It is easy to test for radon. Just put the detector in the lowest lived-in level of your home, and leave it there for three months. Afterwards, mail it away to the lab and they will send you the results. (The kits offered by Peterborough Public Health even include the shipping fee.)
Residents in the City of Peterborough can pick up their free kits at Peterborough Public Health at 185 King Street in downtown Peterborough (visit the third floor customer service counter).
Rural residents can pick up the free kits at the following locations:
- Curve Lake First Nation (Curve Lake Health Centre, 38 Whetung St., Curve Lake)
- Hiawatha First Nation (L.I.F.E Services Centre, 431 Hiawatha Line 10, Hiawatha First Nation)
- Municipality of Trent Lakes (760 County Road 36, Trent Lakes)
- Township of Asphodel-Norwood (2357 County Road 45, Norwood)
- Township of Cavan Monaghan (988 County Rd 10, Millbrook)
- Township of Douro-Dummer (894 South Street, Warsaw)
- Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen (1 Ottawa St. East, Havelock)
- Township of North Kawartha (280 Burleigh Street, Apsley)
- Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan (20 Third Street, Keene)
- Township of Selwyn (1310 Centre Line, Selwyb)
VIDEO: Mike Holmes on Radon
