County included in radon watch list

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Morgan County has earned a dubious distinction.
The county is considered a Zone One area, placing it among the 15 Alabama counties that have some of the highest radon levels in the country.
Radon is a natural radioactive gas that has no odor or taste. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, it is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is the second leading cause of cancer in America, claiming some 20,000 lives annually. Experts say one out of every 15 homes in the country have elevated radon levels.
Raising awareness of the radon issue is the goal of National Radon Action Month in January. Morgan County Extension Agent Julie Dutton said the month is an ideal time for all residents to have their homes tested for radon.
Dutton said any home - new or old, homes with basements, on slab or with crawl spaces, drafty homes or tightly sealed homes - can have radon problems. The gas can enter through cracks in concrete walls or floors, floor drains and exposed dirt in basements. The radon becomes trapped and indoor concentrations increase, resulting in a health hazard.
Any home can have a radon problem – new or old, homes with basements, on slab or with crawl spaces, drafty homes or tightly sealed homes. Radon gas enters through cracks in concrete walls and floors, floor drains and sumps and exposed dirt floors in basements. When radon becomes trapped in buildings and concentrations build up indoors, exposure to radon becomes a concern.
Dutton said testing homes for elevated levels of radon is simple and inexpensive. If radon is detected, problems can be fixed. Test kits are available at the County Extension office in Hartselle for $5 and through the Radon in Alabama web site, www.aces.edu/radon.
For more information call 773-2549