BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Radon, a gas that you cannot see or smell, ranks as the second most common cause of lung cancer, as reported by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The only way to determine if your home harbors radon is through testing.

Stephen May, who serves as the regional medical director for the Sullivan County Health Department, explained that radon originates from elements present in the soil.

“This gas is widespread across Tennessee,” May noted. “It forms as uranium and thorium elements in the soil undergo breakdown.”

According to May, radon can infiltrate homes through cracks in the foundation.

“We recognize January as Radon Awareness Month because during winter, we seal our homes to conserve heat,” May explained. “This creates an environment where radon gas can build up undetected.”

He also said it is important to test your home multiple times, especially when you have done major work on the house.

“If you buy or sell a house, you want to get the radon level checked,” May said. “If you do major construction underneath the crawlspace, or change your ventilation system, then we need to consider retesting and seeing what those levels are.”

James Evangelista, the owner of Quality Radon Systems in Johnson City, said radon mitigation systems can help remove the radon before it enters the house.

“This is very common in this area and each house,” Evangelista said. “Every house in East Tennessee should be tested.

“It’s a matter of just going over, what kind of build you have and what kind of options there are, and what approach is needed to be able to design a system to collect the radon source and safely, safely exhaust it up and out before it enters the home?”

Evangelista also said the system will have to be monitored once it is installed.

“An indicator letting you know, if the fan has stopped working or not,” Evangelista said. “So, either a visual or audible indicator will be installed on the system on the pipe to let you know whether or not the fan, is running or has stopped running.”

Evangelista said the pricing of the system would depend on the type and what the house looks like. He not only recommends the mitigation system but also purchasing a continuous radon monitor, which will test for radon year-round.

“Getting information is certainly key,” Evangelista said, “and just to know what your house is like and what it tests at and whether it’s something you need to consider either mitigating or get some more information, long term, to see if it’s an issue that you may want to get resolved.”

TDEC does offer free radon test kits, which you can order on their website. You can also buy radon test kits at local home improvement stores.