January is National Radon Action Month

The EPA has established January as National Radon Action Month. Radon is elusive because you can’t see it and you can’t smell it; however, it is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America.  The EPA estimates 21,000 people a year die from radon and the U.S. Surgeon General urges all Americans to protect their health by getting their homes tested for radon.

Radon comes from uranium in the ground and comes in through the foundation of homes and buildings.  Radon levels could be high in new or old homes and 1 in 3 homes in Utah have unsafe radon levels.  If the radon level is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, the EPA recommends radon mitigation to bring down the radon levels.  The World Health Organization recommends mitigation if your home radon levels or 2.7 or above.  There is no safe level of radon.  A home with 4.0 pCi/L is the same risk of lung cancer as someone who smokes 8 cigarettes per day.

Your Radon Action Plans

1. Get your home tested for radon.  Utah Radon Services provides free testing and to get started, all you need to do is fill out this form.  We will mail you a radon kit with easy to follow instructions.  After the test, you send the equipment back to us and we provide you with the results. 
2. Spread the word to your family and friends. In Utah, 80% of homes have not been tested and the number one reason for not testing is that people didn’t know about it.
3. Spread the word through social media: Most people have a social media group for the city or other groups.  Let them know about radon and let them know that radon testing is free.
4. Radon Mitigation: If your radon test comes back 4.0 pCi/L or higher, you should get your house mitigated for radon. Radon mitigation is a simple process that is usually done within a few hours.  Here is a webpage on our website to explain the cost associated with a radon mitigation system.

So let National Radon Action Month be a reminder to get your home tested for free. If you have any questions regarding radon testing or radon mitigation, please feel free to call us at 801.871.0715.