January is Radon Awareness Month: Have you tested?
Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that can have serious health consequences. It is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. When there are high levels of radon present in your home, you are at a higher risk of developing cancer. January is National Radon Awareness Month. Winter is an excellent time for Johnson County residents to test their homes for radon gas. Radon is prevalent in Johnson County, so it’s important to test your home. Radon levels in our county average around 5.3 pCi/L which is above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/l.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends installing a mitigation system to reduce indoor radon levels when homes are confirmed with 4.0 pCi/L of radon gas or higher. Chronic, long‐term radon gas exposure in homes increases the long‐term risk of developing lung cancer. Residential radon gas exposure is the number two leading cause of lung cancer death in the U.S. for smokers, cigarettes are number one.
Kansas State Radon Specialist, Brian Hansen will present “Protecting Your Family from Radon” a virtual Zoom program on January 14th at 5:30 pm. The program is free, but we ask that everyone register at: www.johnson.k-state.edu. Brian and the Kansas Radon Program are recognized nationally for their leadership and knowledge in this subject matter.
Residents can purchase radon test kits through the K-State Extension office for $10. A new option this year for Johnson County residents is to order and pay for your kit online. The kit will be mailed to you for no additional fee. To order your kit online go to: https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/natural-resources/indoor-air-quality/radon.html
The kit is opened and left in the lowest livable part of the home for a couple of days. Once the test is completed, the kit is packaged up in the self-addressed stamped envelope which is part of the kit and then returned by mail for testing. Test results are usually ready in 7-10 days. If results show high levels of radon, addressing the issue is relatively inexpensive and should be done sooner rather than later. Each home is unique, the only way to know if your home has radon is through testing. For more information please contact Denise Dias at 913-715-7000 or denise.dias@jocogov.org.
