WeHa-Bloomfield Health Has Radon Test Kits

West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District

WEST HARTFORD/BLOOMFIELD, CT — A regional health department has free test kits for folks in West Hartford and Bloomfield to see if they have a potentially deadly, radioactive gas in their homes.

The West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District will provide free radon test kits beginning Thursday, Jan. 4, as January is Radon Awareness Month.

The tests are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Residents from those two towns can stop by the health department office at 580 Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield, between 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, to get a kit. (Test kits cannot be reserved ahead of time.)

A naturally occurring radioactive gas caused by the decomposition of radioactive elements deep underground, radon can find its way into homes and accumulate unnoticed.

Colorless and odorless, radon can cause lung cancer to folks, even those who don't smoke.

Radon levels vary seasonally and tend to be higher in the winter months.

The best time to test for radon is in the colder season between November and March when your house is closed up.

Some may prefer to hire a qualified tester to perform a radon test in the home. Visit the CT DPH Radon Program website for a list of qualified radon measurement professionals. Visit the CT DPH Radon Program website for links to more resources: www.ct.gov/dph/radon. For more information, call the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District at 860-561-7900.