McHenry County Government: Reduce The Risk, Test Your Home For Radon

Press release from the McHenry County Government:

01/06/2022 10:30 AM

The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is urging residents to take time in the coming weeks to test their homes for radon as part of Radon Action Month.  Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible and odorless gas. It is harmless when dispersed in outdoor air, but it can be harmful in closed spaces like homes and buildings if it reaches elevated levels.    

McHenry County has been classified as a Zone 2 or medium risk for radon, a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), but all homes should be tested regardless of geographic location.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in the United States, according to the CDC.  Radon-related health risks are preventable with a simple home detection test. Homes with elevated levels of radon can often be fixed inexpensively, but thecost may depend on the type of home construction.

Radon test kits are inexpensive and can be purchased at MCDH’s Division of Environmental Health for $6 or through MCDH’s website. Test kits available through MCDH are limited but more will be available in the future. However, test kits can also be found at most hardware stores and online.

 “If testing reveals radon levels that meet or exceed the action level of 4.0 pCi/L, residents are strongly encouraged to take corrective action to reduce exposure to radon gas," said Patricia Nomm. MCDH Director of Environmental Health.

For more information about radon, including interpretation of test results, call MCDH’s Division of  Environmental Health at (815) 334-4585 or visit bit.ly/MCDHEnviroHealth, Illinos.gov/IEMA and EPA.gov/radon.

This press release was produced by the McHenry County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.