Durango 970 247 5702 | Pagosa Springs 970 264 2409 Facebook Twitter About Us Programs & Services Contact Us Radon Radon is a colorless, odorless, invisible gas that can only be detected through radon testing. It is produced by the natural decay of uranium found in nearly all soils across the United States. Due to the natural geology of Southwest Colorado, the percentage of homes in this area with unsafe levels of radon is higher than the national average. Radon gas can seep in through cracks in foundations, crawl spaces, or well water. Testing your home is easy and, if necessary, fixing the problem is much easier and cheaper than other home repairs. Radon exposure is the nation’s second-leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause in people who have never smoked. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that exposure to radon in the home is responsible for over 500 deaths annually in the state of Colorado. SJBPH and CSU Extension encourage local residents to take action by learning how to use a free radon test kit and how to understand your results so you can keep your family safe. SJBPH will hold free online radon testing workshops in January and February 2021, for Archuleta, La Plata, and San Juan County residents. Radon test kits for first-time testing will be available for pick-up after these workshops, along with training on how to properly set up a test and how to interpret your results. To maximize test accuracy, SJBPH does not distribute radon tests without also training you how to use them properly. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR A 2021 RADON TRAINING Long-term test kits are available for follow-up testing year-round. To obtain a follow-up test kit, call 970-335-2060 in La Plata and San Juan Counties, or 970-264-2409, extension 3008 in Archuleta County. For more information on radon risks, testing and mitigation, click through the tabs below. Testing for Radon Fixing a radon problem Radon & your health The first step to understanding your radon exposure is to perform a short-term radon screening test. Test kits are placed in the home for three to seven days and then mailed to a laboratory using a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Test kits should be hung in the air in the center of a room on the lowest living level of a home (including a finished basement if it is regularly used). Test kits are available for free from SJBPH at our workshops. By attending a 30-45 minute workshop, you can understand how to properly place, deploy, take down, and mail the test kit. The winter is the ideal time to test for radon, because it’s hard for radon to rise through layers of snow or frozen ground, which means it may find an easier path through cracks in your foundation or through your crawlspace or well water. SJBPH recommends that all first-time radon testing be done in the winter months. SJBPH hopes to post a workshop schedule for the year in mid-November, subject to funding availability Request more information about the upcoming workshops by emailing the Environmental Health team Reminders: time your three-to-seven-day short-term radon test such that the test is complete by Monday morning. Then take your kit to the post office, after removing the hanging hook. Make sure the kit is at your post office prior to mail going out on Monday. If you miss this deadline, the kit may not arrive at the laboratory before it expires on Thursday. Write down your test kit serial number before you mail it so you can look up the results. Citizen’s Guide to Radon The guide to protecting yourself and your family from radon. Manual Informativo Sobre El Radón La guía para proteger a su familia y a usted del radón. Radon and Real Estate Transactions Discovering elevated radon levels doesn’t mean you need to walk away from the deal! EPA Radon home page CDPHE Radon home page Healthcare Professionals Guide to Radon SJBPH SERVING LA PLATA AND ARCHULETA COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST COLORADO SINCE 1948. Hablamos español. HOURS Durango Office: Mon.-Fri. 8 am - 4:30 pm Pagosa Springs Office: Mon.-Thurs. 8 am -12 pm & 1 pm - 4:30 pm DURANGO | LA PLATA COUNTY 281 Sawyer Drive Durango, CO 81303 970 247 5702 Directions PAGOSA SPRINGS | ARCHULETA COUNTY 502 S. 8th Street Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 970 264 2409 Directions © 2021 San Juan Basin Public Health | All Rights Reserved Facebook Twitter