February is Radon Action Month — Check Your Home for Radon

With Mayor Linda H. Schwager and the Borough Council designating February as Radon Awareness Month in the Borough of Oakland, the Borough and state Department of Environmental Protection urges residents in Oakland to test for this colorless and odorless radioactive gas – the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.

As part of Radon Awareness Month, the Borough of Oakland is giving away FREE Radon Test Kits Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in the Oakland Board of Health, 1 Municipal Plaza, Lower Level, Oakland, N.J. 07436. 

The first step toward prevention is a simple and inexpensive indoor air test that can be purchased at home improvement centers. You also can have a certified business test your home.

Radon comes from the breakdown of naturally occurring uranium found in rock and soil. It occurs at varying levels throughout New Jersey and seeps into the home through cracks in foundations and basement walls. Radon can be mitigated with relatively inexpensive exhaust systems.

If you’ve never tested your home or haven’t done so for a number of years, there’s no reason to put it off any longer. For a state map that ranks areas by radon risk, a list of certified testers and other helpful information, visit www.njradon.org or call 800-648-0394.

For more information on radon, listen to the DEP’s podcast.