Officials in Guelph are reminding the public to test their homes for a dangerous gas that has a higher prevalence in their city than it does anywhere else in the area.
A Health Canada study found that 19 per cent of homes in Guelph have excessive levels of radon gas – compared to seven per cent of homes Canada-wide.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas which has no colour, odour or taste, and is Canada’s second most common cause of lung cancer.
It can seep into homes through cracks and other openings in their foundations, and the only way to detect its presence is through specialized testing.
Radon detectors are left in homes for three months, then sent away for analysis.
Authorities recommend doing the testing every couple years, as radon levels can fluctuate over time.
It’s never been clear why elevated levels of the gas are present in Guelph, and why it doesn’t seem to be concentrated in any particular part of the city.
“People think of uranium in rock and the Canadian Shield, but glaciers spread that rock all over the place. Maybe we just ended up with more of it than other places,” said Shawn Zentner, the manager of health protection for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
Thursday night, the health unit held a meeting to educate homeowners about the risk of radon and offer them radon testing kits for $45.
Other recommended protective measures include sealing visible cracks and closing open holes in foundations.
