Radon

What is Radon?

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can’t see radon. And you can’t smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home. Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building — homes, offices, and schools — and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time. Radon can be found all over the U.S.

You should test for radon.

Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools. Testing is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time.

Radon Test Kits at GCPH
Green County Public Health has radon test kits available for the public. For more information or to schedule a time to get a test kit please call (608) 328-9390 or email info@greencountywi.org. 

You can fix a radon problem.

Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.

How Does Radon Get Into Your Home?

- Radon Gets in Through:- Cracks in solid floors- Construction joints- Cracks in walls- Gaps in suspended floors- Gaps around service pipes- Cavities inside walls
 -The water supply

Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

Radon Resources

Below are additional resources to learn more about radon.