'It is very scary': Advocates urge Manitobans to test homes for radon

Health advocates are warning Manitobans about an odorless, colourless danger that could be lurking in your home.

November is Radon Action Month. To mark the occasion, the Manitoba Lung Association is reminding the public about the dangers of the naturally occurring radioactive gas and how you can protect yourself and your home from its effects.

According to Manitoba Lung Association President and CEO Juliette Mucha, the uranium in the ground that naturally breaks down and seeps into the air is not a threat to people.

“But when it dilutes and escapes into our homes through foundation cracks, windows, doors—any type of those mediums when it’s trapped inside— that’s when it can be harmful to our health,” she said in an interview with CTV Morning Live Winnipeg.

According to Health Canada data from 2020, over 19 per cent of Manitoba homes have higher than recommended levels of radon of 200 becquerels per cubic meter. By the time some folks test, it can be too late.

“A lot of times we will see stage four lung cancer that arises because radon is the leading cause of lung cancer after smoking,” Mucha said.

“It is very scary.”

To protect yourself and those in your home, the Manitoba Lung Association is selling home radon testing kits. A portion of the proceeds will go back to the organization, Mucha said.

The one-time kit takes 90 days to collect a sample in your home by absorbing any radon in the air. Afterwards, you send it to a lab for analysis.

“They will let you know what your levels are and what you can do.”

The organization also offers a grant program to help offset some of the costs to rid your home of high radium levels, as those upgrades could cost thousands of dollars.

Even if you’re below the guideline, Mucha said there are still precautions you can take, like using an air purifier or a digital radon monitor.

More details can be found on the Manitoba Lung Association website.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé