Larimer County Health Department & CSU Extension urge residents to test homes for Radon during Radon Action Month

January is Radon Action Month and the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDHE) and Larimer County Colorado State University (CSU) Extension Office are urging residents to test their homes for radon. Free radon test kits are available, while supplies last. 

Radon is a naturally occurring, colorless, and odorless radioactive gas that is generated in the soil and enters homes and other buildings through small openings like cracks in foundations, openings around pumps and drains, and crawl spaces. 

Prolonged exposure to elevated levels of radon inside a home can pose a serious health threat to those living inside the home. In the United States, radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer, resulting in approximately 500 annual lung cancer deaths in Colorado. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. 

In Colorado, about half the homes have radon levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “recommended action level" which is the maximum allowable value of a harmful contaminant. “Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk for serious health impacts,” says LCDHE’s environmental health planner and air quality manager, Lea Schneider. 

A simple test can determine if high levels of radon are present in a home. Even homeowners who already have radon mitigation systems should retest their homes every two years to make sure the system is working properly. 

Larimer County residents can pick up a free short-term radon test kit, while supplies last. These kits come with pre-paid postage to the lab, so you can conduct the test, drop it in the mail, and get your results. 

Free kits can be picked up at the following locations: 

• Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive - 2nd Floor, Fort Collins
• Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, 200 Peridot Avenue, Loveland
• Estes Park Town Hall Main Lobby, 170 MacGregor Avenue, Estes Park
• Red Feather Lakes Library, 71 Firehouse Lane, Red Feather Lakes 
• Berthoud Community Library District, 236 Welch Ave, Berthoud

Free test kits can also be ordered online through the Larimer County CSU Extension website: Radon Test Kits (http://aelabs.com/larimer).

“Testing for radon during the winter provides the most accurate assessment of your home's safety. When windows and doors are sealed to retain heat, ventilation is restricted, allowing radon concentrations to peak. Additionally, frozen soil can block the gas from escaping outdoors, forcing it to seek an exit through your home. This is often intensified by the 'stack effect,' where rising warm air creates a vacuum that draws radon up into your living spaces,” says Christa Timmerman, Larimer County CSU Extension Health and Wellbeing Specialist. 

High radon levels can be effectively mitigated, or reduced, for the price of a typical home repair. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment offers a low-income radon mitigation assistance program. Some mitigation measures can be taken by the homeowner but some should be completed by a licensed professional. Learn more about finding a radon mitigation specialist:  https://cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/testing-your-home-radon

For more information about radon, and to view a map of local radon testing results, visit www.larimer.gov/radon.