Atlanta, Georgia – A dangerous gas could already be building inside homes across north Georgia as mild spring days and cooler nights keep windows closed, allowing radon—known as the “invisible killer”—to accumulate indoors within hours. The risk increases quickly when airflow is limited during overnight temperature swings.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally in soil and seeps into homes through foundation cracks, crawl spaces, and slab floors. Georgia is considered a moderate radon-risk state, but elevated levels are more common in the northern part of the state, including metro Atlanta, where some homes exceed the EPA action level of 4 picocuries per liter.
In Atlanta and surrounding communities including Marietta, Sandy Springs, and Roswell, homes with basements or crawl spaces are especially vulnerable this time of year. Residents often keep homes sealed overnight to maintain indoor comfort, which can trap radon indoors. The Georgia Department of Public Health warns that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, linked to about 21,000 deaths annually.
Radon exposure produces no immediate symptoms, making testing the only reliable way to detect it. Short-term test kits can return results within 48 to 96 hours, and mitigation systems can reduce indoor levels by up to 99 percent when properly installed.
Residents are urged to test homes now as conditions through April continue to support indoor buildup. Additional advisories may be issued as risks persist into early summer across the region.
