Growings On: Radon in Georgia

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. Often granite rock naturally has high levels of uranium, which is part of why radon is such a persistent problem in Georgia.

The gas seeps out of the soil and up through crawlspaces, foundations and basements into a home. This is why it is important that we test our homes for radon because it’s a colorless, odorless gas and about 800 Georgians die annually from radon-induced lung cancer.

In Murray County, about 22.8% of homes have elevated levels of the naturally radioactive gas radon. Over the course of many years, exposure to this gas can cause lung cancer, even in non-smokers. In fact, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Smokers, current and former, exposed to radon gas have an even greater risk of developing lung cancer.

Fortunately, testing for radon gas is simple and inexpensive. A short-term radon test is hung in the lowest level of the home for three to seven days before being mailed to the laboratory. The laboratory will then send the homeowner results after it processes the test kit.

Tests can be obtained from the University of Georgia (UGA) Radon Program website (www.UGAradon.org) or a hardware store. If the radon level in your home is high you can install a radon reduction system. A radon reduction (or radon mitigation) system reduces high levels of indoor radon to acceptable levels. The system most frequently used is a vent pipe system and fan that pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside.

Radon exposure from drinking water is only a concern for those with private wells. In Georgia, wells drilled into granitic crystalline rock aquifers, usually in the northern part of the state, are at risk of naturally occurring radon contamination. This is where the uranium that decays to radon can be found at higher levels.

If you don’t know whether there is radon in your well water, have the water tested. The UGA Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories in Athens test water samples for the presence of radon. To get a water testing kit, contact your local UGA Extension office or call 800-ASK-UGA1.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brenda Jackson at Murray County Extension at (706) 695-3031 or bljack@uga.edu.

Brenda Jackson is the agricultural and natural resources agent for Murray County Extension.