How do you know whether the radioactive gas Radon is in your home?
There’s an easy, free way to find out. The State of West Virginia’s Office of Environmental Health Services offers free test kits that are simple to use.
Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that migrates from soil into enclosed spaces, such as homes, and collects there. It can be inhaled by those in the home.
Tests have shown that this radioactive gas is present in high levels in a number of zones around the state. West Virginia is ranked 10th in U. S. states with highest radon levels.
Any home, regardless of age or physical condition, can contain radon. With or without a basement, a house can have radon in it.
According to a National Academy of Sciences report, radon is the #2 cause of lung cancer in the U.S. The EPA estimates that it is the #1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Reducing the level of radon inside a home is possible with certain economic measures. Having the test done first shows whether such measures are needed.
To request a free test kit, call 800–922-1255.
More information on radon is available at https://oehs.wvdhhr.org/rtia/radon/ and http://epa.gov/radon. An EPA map of West Virginia’s radon zones can be found online.
Also, any questions can be emailed to Keith Ratliff, environmental resource specialist 2, at Keith.d.ratliff@wv.gov.
A safer home is one that doesn’t contain harmful levels of radon. Testing is the first step in that direction.
