Protect Your Health: Test Your Home For Radon

Over the past four years, testing revealed that roughly half of the homes tested in Dane County had high levels of radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, common throughout Wisconsin, that can seep into homes from the ground.

"Over time, exposure to radon in a home can cause deadly lung cancer. Because of the ways that radon and tobacco smoke damage the lungs, it can be especially dangerous for people who smoke. Their risk of lung cancer is 10 times higher than that of non-smokers, but it is preventable," said John Hausbeck, Environmental Health Supervisor for Public Health Madison & Dane County. For non-smokers, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer.

January is National Radon Action Month. The South Central Radon Information Center, representing Dane, Rock, and Green counties, urges everyone to test their home for radon.

"Because radon can't be seen, smelled, or tasted, even at high levels, testing is the only way to know if there are high levels of this invisible threat lurking in your home. It is a simple, affordable step to take that could save lives," said Hausbeck.

There are several ways to buy a test kit. Homeowners can call the South-Central Radon Information Center at 608-243-0392, send a check made out to Madison City Treasurer to Public Health Madison & Dane County (Attn: Radon Program) at 2300 S. Park Street, Room 2022, Madison, WI 53713, or pick up a test kit at one of these locations :

• Atrium Office: 2300 S. Park St., Suite 2010, Madison
• East Washington Avenue Office: 2705 E. Washington Ave., Madison

"If you order through Public Health, short-term radon test kits are $10 dollars. They're also available online, at your local hardware store, or through a certified radon mitigation contractor but you may pay more," said Hausbeck.

Lab results are usually available in two to three weeks. If results show that there is a concerning level of radon, a certified contractor can install a system to prevent radon from getting into the house. For more information regarding radon, including a list of qualified radon remediation contractors, visit the Wisconsin Radon Information webpage.