Health and Welfare: High Radon Levels Can Put Your Health at Risk

SUN VALLEY, Idaho (KLIX) – Sun Valley is listed by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare as one of the cities in Idaho where a high number of homes are deemed to have unsafe levels of radon.

The department encourages homeowners to have their homes tested. According to a news release issued by the department on Tuesday:

Nearly 40 percent of Idaho homes that have been tested for radon showed unsafe levels. Radon is a problem in Idaho and high levels have been found in every county. Long term exposure to high levels of radon can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. The good news is radon problems can be fixed with mitigation.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Radon rises up from the soil and invades homes and buildings through crawlspaces, foundation cracks and openings. When radon gets trapped indoors it can reach harmful levels. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, with the Environmental Protection Agency estimating that radon causes 21,000 deaths in the United States each year.

Every home in Idaho should be tested for radon. The only way to know if your home has high levels of radon is to test for it, with winter being the best time to do that. Testing is easy, simple and inexpensive.

You may purchase a radon test kit at www.radonidaho.org. For more information, call the Idaho CareLine at 211.