January is National Radon Action Month.  The aim of National Radon Action Month is to increase the public's awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance the use of radon-resistant new construction practices. (EPA, 2023)

Check your Home for Radon

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking. It is an invisible, odorless gas that can seep into various types of structures, including but not limited to basements, slabs and crawl spaces. The only way to know if it is present at dangerous levels is to test for it.

Radon is a Natural Danger

About one in 15 homes in the U.S. has radon levels at or above the the EPA action level, according to the National Cancer Institute. You can't see or smell radon, and scientists estimate 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year are attributed to it.

Radon is produced from a natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It enters homes, offices, schools and other buildings through cracks in floors and walls, construction joints or gaps around service pipes, electrical wires and sump pits. The Environmental Protection Agency reports elevated levels of radon gas have been measured in every state and estimates nearly one out of every 15 homes in America has elevated radon levels.

People who breathe in these radioactive particles, swallow water with high radon levels or are exposed to radon for a long period of time are susceptible to lung damage and lung cancer. Smokers who are exposed to elevated levels of radon gas have a 10 times higher risk of developing lung cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.

Test Your Home

Old homes, new homes, homes with basements and homes without basements can have radon problems. Testing is the only way to determine how much radon is present.

Consider hiring a professional tester. Short-term (2-90 day) and long-term (more than 90-day) test kits are available, with the long-term kit producing more accurate results. The EPA website can help you find a radon test kit or measurement and mitigation professional near you. Do-it-yourself test kits also are available at many local hardware stores.

No level of radon exposure is considered completely safe, however the EPA only recommends reducing radon levels in your home if your long-term exposure averages 4 picocuries per liter (pCI/L) or higher. A pCI is a measure of the rate of radioactive decay of radon gas. This decay causes radioactive particles that can get trapped in your lungs when you breathe (NSC, 2023).

1. Sign up for Alerts

Sign up for South Salt Lake alerts to receive notifications to your cell phone in emergency situations. Local alerts will prepare you best for updates and response action in your neighborhood and our community.

2. Make a Plan

Creating an emergency plan is an effective way to ensure that everyone that you care for knows how to respond in the event of an emergency. Learn about the hazards and risks specific to Utah and South Salt Lake and talk to members of your household about what to do in different scenarios. Consider the following:

• How will you contact one another?
• How will you get back together?
• What will you do in different situations?

Check on your neighbors during and after an emergency in case they need assistance. 

3. Have Your 96 Hour Kit Ready

Most people have at least heard that they should have a 72-hour kit. Based on an assessment of the most current data estimating the extent of damage to transportation corridors and critical infrastructure in the Salt Lake Valley, it is estimated that after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, which is the expected magnitude of the next earthquake in the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch Fault, it will be at least 96 hours before resources from outside the area begin to arrive. Click here to learn how to build your 96 Hour Kit.