Radon awareness
  • About half of the homes in Colorado
    have radon levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    recommended action
    level
    .
  • Radon has no color, odor or taste and
    doesn’t cause short-term symptoms of illness.
  • Radon causes cancer.
    • It’s estimated to cause about 21,000
      lung cancer deaths per year in the United States.
    • It’s the second leading cause of lung
      cancer in the U.S.
    • Only smoking causes more lung cancer
      deaths.
  • The naturally occurring radioactive
    gas comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil.
  • If your home sits on radon’s pathway
    from the soil to the atmosphere, it can get into your home.
  • The most common routes are:
    • Spaces between basement walls and the
      slab.
    • Cracks in foundations and/or walls.
    • Openings around sump pumps and drains.
    • Construction joints and plumbing
      penetrations.
    • Crawl spaces.
    • Well water with high radon
      concentrations.
  • It’s important to test your home for
    radon.
  • Test kits are available at local home improvement
    stores or you can order them online.
  • Test in the lowest living area of your
    home.
  • If radon levels in your home are
    higher than the EPA recommended action level, click here
    for information on radon mitigation in Mesa County.

For more
information, visit
health.mesacounty.us and mesacountyhealth.com.