"High radon is known to increase lung cancer plus it's going to be a financial stress as far as if we decide to sell our home."

That's why he got his home tested. Ken Lightsey of Tennessee Valley Home Inspections says radon comes from uranium deposits found in rocks and soil. It travels through cracks and crevices. If left untreated, it could creep into your home without you ever knowing it.  That's because radon is an odorless and invisible gas.

"This little crack seems like not much but with radon being a gas, it can very easily enter through the crack," said Lightsey.

Lightsey says installing a radon monitor can help detect radon inside your home. The test usually lasts for 48 hours.

"Once the radon test is over..we would run a tape out that gives us each hour reading of what the radon level is."

The Shoals area is prone to radon. That's because of the breakdown of uranium contained in Chattanooga shale..a typeof sedimentary rock commonly found in the Tennessee Valley. Mitchell is glad he got his home tested and hopes others will too.

If you want to get your home tested for radon, you can purchase a home test kit at your local extension office. It costs 5 dollars.

If your home shows high levels of radon, you should call an inspector to check it out.