You want your home to be a safe, healthy place where you and your family can relax and thrive. But did you know that there's an invisible threat that can pose a serious health hazard which is radon gas.

According to Cancer.org, radon is an odorless, colorless and radioactive gas. It's found both outdoors and indoors, and as such, it can attach to dust particles that we breathe in. When that happens, it gives off radiation that can be damaging and at times severe.

Start by testing the radon levels in your home with a simple radon test kit, which you can purchase at your local hardware store. If you find radon levels of more than four picouries pCI/L — or per liter of air — you shouldn't attempt to fix the problem yourself. Instead, contact your state's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office for a list of mitigation contractors in your region.

According to the EPA, radon reduction systems can reduce levels up to 99 percent. In general, they focus on sealing off all cracks in the home — including in the foundation and basement — that could let radon gas in. In addition, soil suction can be used to suck the radon out from below the home and venting it to the outside air. Room or house pressurization creates sufficient pressure in the lowest indoor level to prevent radon from entering into the living area. Similarly, a heat recovery ventilator can be used to increase ventilation, which results in reduced radon levels.

Note that if you're buying a newly constructed home, you can have your contractor incorporate these radon protection measures during the construction phase. That will prevent you from having to perform expensive home improvements later.

In general, installing a radon mitigation system costs between $800 and $2,500. And while that might seem like a lot for some people, it's well worth the money to protect you and your family's health.