Consider radon testing for your home

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) encourages Wyoming families to test their homes for radon. The department is offering radon test kits at no cost, while supplies last. In honor of National Radon Action Month, the department is also announcing the winners of the radon awareness video contest.

Radon is an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that is dangerous and can be found in many places, including homes. Radon occurs naturally as a radioactive gas released from the element radium and is found in rocks, soil, and water. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon can lead to serious health risks. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer.

“As uranium in the soil naturally breaks down, it turns into radon gas, which can seep up into a home and start to build up,” said Randi Norton-Herrington, Wyoming Cancer Program Outreach and Media Coordinator.

“Ongoing exposure to higher, more dangerous radon levels can be lowered by adding radon-reducing measures to your home. The only way to know you have high levels of radon is to test. That’s why we offer radon test kits at no cost to Wyoming residents. We want them to know the risk level within their homes so they can address potential problems,” Norton-Herrington said.

The Wyoming Cancer Program offers radon test kits at no cost, while supplies last. To get a radon test, please visit health.wyo.gov/radon.

An elevated level of radon is considered anything over 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air). “That’s when the need for fixing is evident,” Norton-Herrington said.