Health advocates are warning Manitobans about an odorless and colorless danger that could be lurking in your home.

November is Radon Action Month. To mark the occasion, the Manitoba Lung Association is reminding the public of the dangers of naturally occurring radioactive gases and how you can protect yourself and your home from its effects.

According to Juliette Mucha, president and CEO of the Manitoba Lung Association, uranium in the soil, which decomposes naturally and seeps into the air, does not pose a threat to the population.

“But when it gets diluted and escapes into our homes through foundation cracks, windows, doors — any type of medium when it’s trapped inside — that’s when- there that it can be harmful to our health,” she said in an interview with CTV Morning Live Winnipeg.

According to 2020 Health Canada data, more than 19 per cent of Manitoba homes have radon levels above the recommended levels of 200 becquerels per cubic meter. By the time some people test, it may be too late.

“Often we will see stage four lung cancer that occurs because radon is the leading cause of lung cancer after smoking,” Mucha said.

“It’s very scary.”

To protect yourself and those in your home, the Manitoba Lung Association sells home radon test kits. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the organization, Mucha said.

The unique kit takes 90 days to collect a sample in your home absorbing any radon present in the air. Then you send it to a laboratory for analysis.

“They will let you know what your levels are and what you can do.”

The organization also offers a grant program to help offset some of the costs needed to rid your home of high radium levels, as these improvements could cost thousands of dollars.

Even if you’re below the guideline, Mucha said you can still take precautions, like using an air purifier or digital radon monitor.

More details can be found on the Manitoba Lung Association website.

– With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé