Radon: Test and Fix to Save a Life.

You can’t see radon. Or smell it. Or taste it. You can’t tell if there is radon in your home unless you test for it. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in your home and cause lung cancer.

Fortunately, testing your home for radon is a very simple, inexpensive way to protect your family’s health. If elevated radon levels are found, hire a certified radon mitigation specialist to reduce the level of radon in your home.

It is important to test your home during winter months, when the concentration of radon is the highest.
Everyone should test their home for radon every 3-4 years.

Radon from the soil enters a home through cracks and openings in the foundation and basement floor. Both old and new homes are at risk. Older homes have more cracking in the foundation and flooring. New homes are built to be energy efficient, which keeps the radon trapped inside.

Radon levels vary around the country, but in Iowa radon levels are especially high.
• An estimated 400 deaths per year in Iowa are caused by radon-induced lung cancer, about the same number of annual death as seen in Iowa for traffic fatalities.
• Iowa leads the nation in the percent of homes with high radon levels.
• EPA surveys in Iowa have found that 7 in 10 homes in Iowa contain high radon concentrations.
• The average indoor radon concentration in Iowa is more than six times the national average.

Radon test kits are available through Community Health Partners and at city offices throughout Sioux County. The cost of the test is $10. Directions are included in the kit. Results and follow up recommendations are mailed directly to your home or are available online. More information for homeowners as well as a list of certified radon mitigation specialists in Iowa can be found at www.idph.iowa.gov/radon/fix.

For more information, contact Community Health Partners at 712.737.2971/800.435.3454, or visit www.siouxcountychp.org

Radon: Test and Fix to Save a Life.

For questions or additional information, contact:

Community Health Partners of Sioux County
Deb VanderPlas, RN, BSN, CPH

Phone – 712.737.2971 or 1.800.435.3454
Email – [email protected]
Website – www.siouxcountychp.org