Radon gases pose a health risk to residents in Gilpin County during the winter when houses are closed up and radon gases can build up inside a house. The Gilpin County Public Health department is recommending residents get a free radon test kit to check their houses for high concentrations of the radioactive gas.

Radium is a rock that is a by-product from uranium when it decomposes. Uranium and radium naturally exist in the soil and bedrock over which houses are built. When radium decomposes over time, it releases the radon gas which contains radioactive particles. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that destroys the lining of the lungs when the gas is inhaled.

There are no short-term effects from breathing radon gas but over the long term it can cause lung cancer. Radon gases are the number one cause of death among lung cancer patients who didn’t smoke. Over 20,000 people a year die from lung cancer caused by inhaling radon gas. More than 500 of them are from Colorado.

Colorado is considered a high-risk state with over half the houses tested having a radon test result that is higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended level. People who smoke and live in a house with high radon gas levels are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Living in a house with high radon gas levels has been compared to getting 200 chest X-rays a year.

The Gilpin County Public Health department is working with the Gilpin CSU Extension Agent’s office to make available a free radon test kit to determine if a house has high radon gas levels. Gilpin County Public Health assistant Marie Larson said that residents can go to the CSU Extension website (gilpin.extension. colostate.edu) to order a kit. Click on the Radon link on the home page and fill out the request form. Orders typically arrive a week or more after they are ordered. If there is an urgency to test a house for radon gas, the free test kits can be picked up at the CSU Extension Office at the County’s Exhibit Barn, the Library, or the Human Services office. Larson stressed that if it isn’t urgent, try to order online first.

The test kit is a plastic box filled with a charcoal mixture. The instructions say to place it two to seven feet above the ground and three feet from the walls. There should be six inches of space around the box. It is recommended to place it on a lower floor or in the basement where pockets of radon gas would collect. Doors and windows should be closed so that the gas isn’t dispersed like in the summer. Leave the sampler out for 48 to 96 hours and then mail it to the laboratory (Alpha Energy Labs) for analysis. It generally takes two to five days to get results.

If the test is below the recommended level, then no further action is needed. If it is above the recommended level, then the home will need to receive some kind of mitigation to make it safe to live in. The first step is to contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/radon). The Radon page has information about mitigation methods and contractors. In Colorado, Radon contractors are certified for measuring and mitigation services. The most common form of mitigation is to install a fan and vent pipe to vent the gas outside where it will naturally dissipate.

Homeowners will need to check their home insurance to see if radon mitigation is covered under their policy. If it is, then homeowners should select a certified contractor for the mitigation work.

For low-income families, CDPHE has the Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance (LIRMA) program. Homeowners who qualify will receive financial assistance with mitigating their homes using certified contractors. For more information about LIRMA, go to cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/low-income-radon-mitigation-assistance.

Testing for Radon gases in a home is an easy way to prevent long-term health problems from developing. The Gilpin County Public Health department is urging homeowners to obtain a free radon test kit online at gilpin.extension.colostate.edu and find out if there is a radon gas problem in their home.