Get your home tested this November during National Radon Action Month

SALT LAKE CITY — November is ‘National Radon Action Month.’ To help Utahns take action, we have compiled a list of resources to help people around the state get their homes tested and keep their loved ones healthy.

What is radon?

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Recent data published for the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina showed that areas with high radon levels may also be linked to an increase in non-malignant tumors and strokes.

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The naturally occurring, radioactive gas can seep into homes from the ground and accumulate indoors. At high levels, radon poses severe health risks.

The EPA said radon does not have a taste or smell, even when high levels of the chemical are present. Across the counrty, the EPA estimates that one in 15 homes has levels of radon that are unsafe. Utah is more at risk, with one out of three homes testing above the EPA’s action level.

Utah residents can order radon tests for their homes to check chemical levels, and take action if they are dangerously high.

Order a test

The EPA recommends re-testing your home for radon if you’ve renovated or altered your home since you last tested, or if your living patterns change with someone occupying a lower level of the home than previously tested. It is also beneficial to test your home during the winter, even if a test was done during warmer months.

Utah residents can order discounted tests for under $11 through Alpha Energy Laboratories. The price includes the analysis of the test.

Health departments in Summit, Tooele, Wasatch, Box Elder counties, along with the Bear River Health Department, sell discounted radon tests at their offices.

Utah Radon Services offers a free radon test. The test provided by the company uses the same third-party laboratory, Alpha Energy, as the test ordered through the state.

The state radon office provides a searchable list of certified radon professionals for measurement and/or mitigation.

Residents of Salt Lake County needing financial assistance to pay for the cost of radon mitigation can apply through the Green and Healthy Homes program.

Even in homes with a radon reduction system installed, the state radon office recommends that you still test your home every two years.