Indianapolis, IN – As families gather across Indiana for Thanksgiving dinner, state health officials are warning about a deadly invisible danger that could be quietly seeping into Hoosier homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) are urging residents to test for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that becomes most hazardous in the winter months.
Radon is released as uranium in soil and rock breaks down, and it seeps into homes through cracks, sump pits, and foundation joints. Because it’s colorless, odorless, and tasteless, families often have no idea it’s present. When homes are closed up for the season, the gas can accumulate to unsafe levels.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon exposure causes more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year, making it the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the nation. Indiana’s geology — particularly in central and southern regions — makes it one of the states with a higher risk for elevated radon levels.
Testing is the only way to detect the gas. Short-term radon test kits, available online, at hardware stores, or through the Indiana Department of Health’s Radon Program, cost less than $25 and deliver results within days. If a test shows readings of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, residents are urged to contact a certified mitigation specialist, who can install ventilation systems that reduce levels by up to 90%.
“Radon doesn’t make a sound or leave a smell — but it’s responsible for thousands of preventable deaths every year,” CDC officials said. “Testing this Thanksgiving could protect your family for life.”
With temperatures dropping and homes sealed tight, Indiana health officials say this is the ideal time to make radon testing part of your holiday home checklist — before this silent killer lingers through winter.
