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Radon Awareness

Abigail Smedly
Abigail Smedly

Did you know that January is Radon Action Month? Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas naturally released from rocks and soil throughout Colorado. Radon can enter homes and buildings through small cracks or holes in the foundation, or from well water, and accumulate in the air.

When you breathe in radon, radioactive materials can get trapped in your lungs. Over time, these radioactive materials increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths after cigarette smoke. People who smoke and are exposed to radon have a 10 times greater risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure compared with people who do not smoke and are exposed to the same radon levels.

As mentioned above, radon can be found in groundwater, bedrock, and soil. Radon can enter the home through construction joints, cavities, and cracks inside walls, the sump pump, cracks in solid floors, gaps around service pipes, and gaps in suspended floors. Radon can also enter a home through water from private wells and groundwater supplies. High radon levels in the water supply are more likely when its source is groundwater, for example, a private well. Most public water supplies are sourced from surface water (lakes, rivers, and reservoirs).

Testing your home is the only way to know if radon levels are high. Test your home’s radon levels:

  • If it’s never been tested or the radon levels are unknown
  • When preparing to buy or sell your home
  • After making any repairs to reduce radon
  • Before and after any major renovations
  • Before making any lifestyle changes in the home that would cause someone to spend more time in the basement or lower level (like converting a basement to a bedroom)

To test for radon, you can hire a licensed radon professional, or you can obtain radon test kits for free from Chaffee County Public Health (while supplies last). Kits are provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and are typically funded with EPA and State grants, usually through the State Indoor Radon Grant. 

You can also contract a licensed professional to install a radon reduction system (also called a radon mitigation system) in your home. EPA recommends installing a system if your radon level is at or above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. A “picocurie” is a common unit for measuring the amount of radioactivity.

Additional actions you can take to reduce high radon levels in your home and protect yourself from an increased risk of lung cancer include:

  • Increasing the air flow in your house by opening windows and using fans and vents to circulate air, but remember that natural ventilation in any type of house is only a temporary strategy to reduce radon.
  • Seal cracks in floors and walls with urethane or polyurethane caulk or other sealants designed for this purpose. Sealing alone has not been shown to significantly or consistently reduce radon entry into buildings.
  • Ask about radon-resistant construction techniques if you are building a new home.
    • It is almost always cheaper and easier to build these features into new homes than to add them later.
  • Find free support and resources to help stop smoking at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or at CDC.gov/quit.
    • Smoking significantly increases the risk of lung cancer from radon. 
  • Helpful resources can be found with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. https://cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/radon
  • Call the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236). EPA supports this hotline to best serve consumers with radon-related questions and concerns. 

For further questions or more information, contact Stefanie Nelson, Consumer Protection Specialist with Chaffee County Public Health at 719-530-2543