Contributed by the Monroe County Health Department
January is National Radon Action Month. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that all residents test for the presence of radon gas every two years. If high levels of radon gas are detected, simple steps can be taken to correct the problem and make your home safe.
Radon is a gas that you cannot see, smell, or taste. It can enter your home through cracks in the foundation, openings around joints and pipes, and dirt floors. Radon can build to high levels in your home, and long-term exposure to high levels is a risk for lung cancer. The Surgeon General advises that exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
The only way to know if you have a safe radon level inside your home is to conduct a radon test. The test is simple, quick, and inexpensive. To encourage residents to test their homes, the Monroe County Health Department is offering a $2 off coupon in January. Testing kits will be only $8. Testing kits can be picked up Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 315 W. Oak St. in Sparta. For questions or more information, call the Monroe County Health Department at (608) 269-8666 or visit lowradon.org.
Follow the Monroe County Health Department Facebook or Instagram page for more.
