Get free radon test for your home to prevent lung cancer. You may qualify for a free fix.

Free radon tests are available from the St. Joseph County Department of Health, allowing residents to check their home for the gas that is said to be the No. 1 cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers.

And, once tested, the home may be eligible for a free home remediation system.

The department estimates that one out of four homes in the county has elevated radon levels.

Radon is an invisible and odorless gas that’s released from the ground when the radioactive element uranium breaks down. It can seep up from the ground through cracks in floors and walls of any home regardless of its age, condition or location, the department says.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. January is the EPA's Radon Action Month.

Local residents can request the free screening test by filling out a form at the county health department’s Radon Free Homes Initiative website, linked here in this story online. Or call the department at 574-235-9750.

After running the test, residents must send the kit in a prepaid box to a lab for results. The health department will then follow up if their radon levels are elevated. If they are, the department will determine if they qualify for a free remediation system and tell them how to go about getting one.

South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Free radon tests offered by St. Joseph County Department of Health