January is National Radon Action Month

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January National Radon Action Month. This month, everyone is encouraged to increase their awareness of Radon poisoning and take steps to reduce the Radon levels in their homes.

Colorado is one of the hot spots for radon gas and everyone who owns a home or lives in Colorado should be aware of radon and what to do about it.  Here is an interesting link to some information about radon levels in Colorado from the CPDHE website.  If you look at homes in Boulder County, Weld county or any where along the front range you are likely to see a venting system coming from the foundation up to exhaust.  These are radon mitigation systems.

Radon is a byproduct of the Uranium decay.  Colorado soils are highly mineralized and radon gas is common throughout the entire state.  Radon is a colorless and odorless gas.  It seeps into a home from the soil coming in through cracks and seems in the foundation.  At dangerous levels it poses a health risk and, after smoking, it is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths, claiming 21,000 American lives each year.

The EPA and the U.S Surgeon General recommend that you test your home for Radon this month. Test kits are simple to use and inexpensive. There is a link on the CDPHE website for a free test kit.  Many public libraries also have radon testing kits available for checkout.  Testing is cheap and easy and mitigation if needed is also straightforward.  Be aware and be safe.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has a good radon website with a lot of useful  information about testing and mitigation.

PuroClean Disaster Response urges you to be safe and aware.  Test your home and if needed have a radon mitigation system installed.  Pass the word along and tell your family and friends about radon and the risks.