Radon Testing Urged for All Homes

January is National Radon Action Month. Calumet County Public Health recommends that all residents test their homes for the presence of radon. High radon levels are common in our area. If high levels of radon are detected, simple steps can be taken to correct the problem and make your home safer.

About one out of every ten homes in Wisconsin has high radon levels. In Calumet County, 50% of homes that completed testing had high radon levels. Any home, whether old or new, with or without a basement, can have a high level of radon. Since you cannot smell, taste, or see radon, the only way to know if you have high levels is to test for it. The winter months are the ideal time to do so. Radon test kits, which are affordable and easy to use, are available through Calumet County Public Health. Help protect yourself and your family from radon exposure and test your home's radon level.

What is Radon?

Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that occurs naturally in the soil. Radon can enter your home through cracks in the foundation, openings around joints and pipes, and dirt floors. Radon can build to high levels inside your home.

Why Test for Radon?

Long-term exposure to high levels of radon is a risk factor for lung cancer. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. Radon exposure combined with smoking creates a serious health risk. The only way to know if you have high levels of radon inside your home is to conduct a radon test.

How to Test for Radon?

Testing is simple and inexpensive. Calumet County Public Health has a limited supply of test kits available for purchase. Depending on your needs, both short-term and long-term test kits are available. The price of a short-term test kit is $7.00 and the price of a long-term test kit is $21.00. The price of the test kits includes laboratory analysis. The kits are available for purchase in the Health and Human Services Lobby, Room 238, at the Calumet County Courthouse, 206 Court Street, Chilton, WI 53014. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Radon test kits are also available by mail and postage fees apply. To place an order and get a test kit by mail, contact the Eastern Wisconsin Regional Radon Information Center at (920) 683-4454. If you have questions or want more information on radon, go to https://manitowoccountywi.gov/departments/health-department/radon/ or call the Regional Radon Information Center at the number listed above.