Over the years, Hollywood has cranked out lots of scary movies featuring something awful lurking in the basement of an unsuspecting person’s home.

In the real world of Iowa, there just may be something awful lurking in the basements of people’s homes. And unlike the ghosts and monsters of the movies, this unwelcome presence can’t be seen.

We are speaking of radon. It is a gas that is invisible. It has no odor. And it can cause cancer.

There are ways to check for it. If it is detected, there are ways to reduce and even eliminate its presence.

We encourage people to have their homes checked for radon as a way to protect their health and the health of their families.

Radon gas is created by the natural deterioration processes of uranium and radium found in the soil. Iowa, unfortunately, has a lot of it.

According to scientists at the University of Iowa, the state has the highest average radon concentrations in the country.

That’s bad news because exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the American Lung Association. The association reports that there are 21,000 deaths attributed to radon exposure in the country every year.

There is an Iowa Radon Help Line dedicated to giving people professional advice on the problem. The number is 1-800-383-5992. It is available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

The state Department of Health and Human Services has a list of radon measurement and mitigation specialists on its web site, hhs.iowa.gov.

Testing kits that enable people to find out if there is radon in their home are generally available in hardware and home improvement stores.

Because radon is part of life here in Iowa, people need to know about it.

We urge everyone to get their homes tested and to follow through on any necessary radon mitigation measures.

Doing so just might save lives.