All Larimer County Administrative Offices, District Attorney, Courts, Landfill, and Ranch Offices will be closed on November 27 to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. On November 28, Larimer County Administrative Services, District Attorney, and Ranch offices remain closed. The courts will be open until noon that day, and the Landfill will be open.
Radon in Colorado PSA
El radón en Colorado
The map above shows radon test results in Larimer County. Results below the EPA's recommended action level are shown in blue. The average radon level in the area is 7.8 pCi/L (picocuries per liter), which is higher than the national average of 1.3 pCi/L. The EPA advises that homes with radon levels of 4 pCi/L or more should have mitigation systems installed.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is formed when radioactive metals break down in rocks, soil, and groundwater. You cannot see, smell, or taste radon.
Radon can seep into your home through the ground. About 50% of homes in Colorado have elevated levels of radon.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends radon be mitigated if the level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or more. The only way to to know if your home has harmful levels of radon is to test for it. If your home tests above the EPA action level, you are at an elevated risk of developing lung cancer from radon.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. Each year, radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths, with about 2,900 of these deaths occurring in people who have never smoked.
Smokers have a higher risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure. However, there is no evidence that radon causes other respiratory diseases like asthma, and there is no evidence that children are at a higher risk of lung cancer from radon than adults.
More information: CDPHE Radon Information
Home test kits for radon are easy to use and affordable. A monitor is placed in your home to sample the air. The monitor needs to sample the air for a specific period of time, from a few days to several weeks. It should be placed on the lowest level of the home where people spend time (such as a basement if it’s used often, or the first floor).
Colorado residents can get a free radon test kit, funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The kits are mailed from Alpha Energy Labs. Use this link to order one: Free Test Kits for Colorado Residents
You can also purchase a radon test kit online and in many retail or hardware stores.
Some contractors will test your home for radon for you. If you're using a contractor, they will give you specific instructions.
Radon mitigation involves taking steps to reduce the level of radon in your home. Frequently, this means installing a sub-slab or sub-membrane depressurization system that removes radon gas and releases it safely into the air. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment estimates for most homes, this will cost about $1,000 - $2,000.
If your home tests at 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or more, the EPA recommends you mitigate your home for radon. Because there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, EPA also recommends that Americans consider fixing their home for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L.
Some people choose to complete their own radon mitigation. CDPHE has resources available for people who may want to DIY their radon mitigation.
Many people choose to hire a contractor to mitigate their home for radon. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) certifies radon mitigation professionals. Check to see if your selected contractor is licensed by DORA.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment offers financial help to reduce radon in homes through the Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance program. If you meet certain income requirements, the program can cover up to 100% of the cost to install a radon mitigation system in your home by a certified professional. For more details about this financial assistance, visit their website.
Some Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) may pay for a radon mitigation system. Check with your plan to see if you qualify.
Your home’s radon level can be very different from your neighbor’s. The soil under your homes may be similar, but your home’s structure and foundation are unique.
For example, if your home has a crawl space and your neighbor’s house does not have a crawl space, this can impact the radon reading. Additionally, the cracks and holes in you home's foundation will be different from your neighbor's home.
The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test for it.
There are some actions you can take to temporarily reduce radon levels in your home. Please note, none of these are replacements for a radon mitigation system.
As of August 7, 2023, Colorado landlords must disclose radon information when a tenant signs a lease agreement. Tenants can void their lease if the landlord does not include the radon disclosure or if a landlord does not make reasonable efforts to mitigate elevated radon levels after 180 days.
A Radon Guide for Tenants - from the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Any building that touches the ground is at risk of radon exposure. The type of foundation a mobile home has is the main factor in deciding whether testing should be done.
The Health Department recommends that everyone test their home for radon.
Radon test reports must be kept at the child care facility and be available for anyone who asks to see them.
Radon measurements show how much radon was present during the test. Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L), a unit of radioactivity. The EPA recommends taking action if radon levels reach 4 pCi/L.
If the test results are below 4 pCi/L, no action is needed, but it's good to test every 5 years to keep track of the levels.
If a room shows levels between 4 pCi/L and 8 pCi/L, it's recommended to do a longer test in that room. If the long-term test shows levels above 4 pCi/L, you should consider mitigating the radon.
If a room shows a result higher than 8 pCi/L, do another short-term test in that room. If the levels are still above 8 pCi/L after the second test, radon mitigation is recommended.
While Colorado's child care regulations don't require radon mitigation, it is strongly recommended when radon levels are 4 pCi/L or higher. The cost of mitigation depends on how the facility was built and the severity of the radon problem. There are several ways to reduce radon levels.
For rooms with radon levels between 4 pCi/L and 8 pCi/L, sometimes small changes to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can help by increasing airflow to those rooms.
More complex mitigation systems can also be used, such as sub-slab depressurization or suction systems that remove radon gas and release it safely into the air. These systems should only be installed by a certified contractor. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment has a list of certified contractors who can perform radon mitigation. See Testing and mitigating your home for radon.
After radon mitigation work is finished, re-testing should always be done to make sure the radon levels have been reduced to below 4 pCi/L.
