Vermont offering free radon testing kits

Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that can invade your home. But you won’t know if this naturally occurring, radioactive gas is present at unsafe levels in your home – unless you test for it.

That’s why the Health Department is making it easy for Vermonters to find out if their homes have high levels of radon – by offering free test kits.

Breathing air with radon can increase your risk of getting lung cancer. Radon decays into radioactive particles that damage lung tissue and can lead to lung cancer over the course of a person’s lifetime. If you smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your risk of getting lung cancer is especially high.

“Testing is the only way to know whether your home has too much radon,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine. “More than 52,000 Vermonters have already tested their homes. Make 2020 the year you check whether yours is safe from this dangerous gas.”

One in seven Vermont homes has high levels of radon. Radon gas enters homes from the surrounding soil and bedrock. It doesn’t matter where or how old your home is – it can still have high levels of radon.

The Health Department’s kits test the air in your home over time because radon levels can change daily, weekly and seasonally. If you do get a high result, there are steps you can take to reduce the level of radon in your home.

Request your free kit today. Email your name, mailing address, physical address and phone number to radon@vermont.gov or call 1-800-439-8550.

You can learn more about radon’s impact in Vermont by clicking here.

• Hear the story of one Vermonter whose mother was diagnosed with lung cancer, even though she was not a smoker. Then they learned about radon.
• Watch a video on how to use your radon test kit.
• See the results of radon tests in your town and learn about how the bedrock geology of Vermont relates to radon risk.

School Poster Contest

Are you an educator? Help raise awareness and promote radon testing by having your students participate in the Vermont Radon Poster Contest. It’s a great activity for a science, art or health class for students ages 9 to 14, and you could earn statewide or national recognition! Learn more at: healthvermont.gov/radon#poster.