January is Radon Action Month and Colorado public health officials said now is the best time to test your home.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to theEnvironmental Protection Agency. Often people don't even start showing symptoms of radon exposure until after they're diagnosed with cancer.
Maddison Pitts, the supervisor of Environmental Health Services at Jefferson County Public Health, said more than half of homes they tested in 2023 came back with higher than recommended levels.
January is the best time to test your home because radon levels are typically higher, according to Pitts.
"It's more effective to test during the colder months, those windows and doors stay closed and you kind of trap that air inside," Pitts aid.
Pitts said, radon can get into your home through cracks in the foundation, exposure to soil, construction materials or your water supply, particularly if you're on a well. It's most commonly detected in basements and crawl spaces.
Pitts said if your home tests high, the public health department recommends retesting, sealing any cracks, improving your ventilation and installing radon mitigation systems.
The Jefferson County Public Health Department is offering 100 free radon test kits through the end of January. You can also buy them for $10.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment offers one free test kit per household. You can also buy a discounted test kit on the CDPHE website.
You can also find radon test kits at hardware and home improvement stores.
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