The month of January is National Radon Action Month and experts say living in a mountainous region such as the Valley may be making radon a threat to our homes.

They say the geology of the area allows the naturally occurring radioactive gas radon to travel through soil easier and into our homes. Radon is an odorless and tasteless gas that forms when Radium, a radioactive mineral, decays.

An average home in the area has a radon action level of four to 25 picoCuries per liter of air. A level of four pCi/l or lower should be monitored but probably does not require any other action. Any level between 20 and 200 pCi/l or higher need to be brought down.

Radon expert, Dan Pickett, says he has seen some homes reaching as high as 450 picoCuries per liter, which he says that can be similar to inhaling 30 packs of cigarettes a day.

Pickett says, "Radon is actually the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and it's the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the United States. In our area we see one out of every three homes that have elevated radon levels."

He says you can pick up a do-it-yourself radon testing kit at most stores for between $10 and $20.