Date Published: 01/09/2020 [Source]
In an effort to help prevent lung cancer caused by radon gas, Walking Mountains Science Center's Energy Smart Colorado program has partnered with Vail Health's Shaw Cancer Center and Eagle County's Environmental Health Department to raise awareness and offer free radon test kits.
January is Radon Action Month for Walking Mountains because it's a perfect time to test homes for radon: Windows and doors are typically closed. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, approximately 50% of Colorado homes have radon gas above the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended "action limit."
The EPA's website states that the normal level of radon found in outside air is around 0.4 picocuries per liter, and the action limit for radon in a home is 4 pCi/L. The most common time for radon testing in homes is during a real estate transaction, however, in Eagle County you can now test your home for free anytime by simply picking up a kit at various local sites.
Radon is an invisible, radioactive soil gas that enters homes through cracks in solid floors or walls, construction joints and gaps in suspended floors or around service pipes. Once inside, it mixes with the air we breathe, which can present a serious health risk if high levels of radon are inhaled over time. Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and causes thousands of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.