Oklahoma City, OK – As Thanksgiving brings families together across Oklahoma, state health officials are warning about a silent and deadly danger that could be seeping into homes unnoticed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) are urging residents to test for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that becomes most hazardous in the colder months when homes are sealed from the chill.
Radon forms as uranium in soil and rock breaks down underground, releasing gas that rises through cracks in foundations, basements, or flooring. Because it has no smell, color, or taste, it can build up indoors without any visible signs of danger.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies radon as the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., responsible for over 21,000 deaths annually. While Oklahoma is not among the highest-risk states overall, several regions — including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Stillwater — have been found to contain pockets of elevated radon levels, particularly in homes built over limestone or shale formations.
Testing is simple, inexpensive, and the only way to detect radon. Short-term radon test kits, available online, at hardware stores, or through the Oklahoma Radon Program, typically cost less than $25 and provide results within days. The EPA recommends mitigation for any home with readings above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), though no level is completely safe.
If high levels are detected, certified mitigation contractors can install systems that vent the gas safely outside, reducing radon by up to 90%.
“Radon doesn’t make noise, doesn’t smell — but it kills quietly,” CDC officials warned. “Testing your home this Thanksgiving could save a life.”
As Oklahomans across the state gather for Thanksgiving, health officials urge residents to make radon testing part of their home-safety checklist before this invisible killer lingers through winter.
