DENVER — January is Radon Action Month and several public health agencies are offering free testing kits.
"Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas," according to Mitch Brown with Jefferson County Public Health. "[Radon is] naturally occurring in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain states. It's in our soil and it gets into our home."
Radon can be dangerous to breathe and high levels can lead to a significant risk of lung cancer, according to Jefferson County Public Health.
"By testing, you can know how much there is a risk to your health," Brown said.
Testing is best done on the lowest level of your home and away from any air movement from windows, doors, hallways and vents.
Brown said January is a good time to test because few people have their windows open.
Jefferson County Public Health is offering free radon test kits all month long, while supplies last, one per address and on a first-come-first-served basis, at their location in Lakewood at 645 Parfet St.
In Denver, free radon test kits must be picked up in person at the Denver Post building at 101 W. Colfax Ave. Residents should call 3-1-1 to schedule an appointment to pick up their kit.
The Colorado Health Department has free kits, while supplies last. You can fill out a form on their website to get a free testing kit. The state ran out of testing kits quickly in January 2019.
You can also check with your city or county to ask if they're doing free radon testing in January.
