Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is radioactive. You can’t see or smell it, yet it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon seeps into homes and buildings from the surrounding soil. Fortunately, the risk from radon can be reduced.
The Clark County Health Department (CCHD), along with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recommends that every home and building be tested for radon levels. For more accurate testing, it is suggested to test for radon during the winter months when homes are closed up. The CCHD has short-term radon test kits available to test homes or buildings in Clark County. The test kit can be picked up at the Clark County Health Department for $10 or mailed to you for $10 plus an $8 mailing fee. To receive a test kit, please call 715-743-5112 or email paige.lindner@co.clark.wi.us.
If a high level of radon gas is detected (the unsafe level of radon exposure set by the EPA is 4 pCi/L-picocuries per liter of air), simple steps can be taken to decrease the problem. A certified contractor can install a radon mitigation system to greatly reduce the radon concentration in your home. For more information about radon, including a list of certified radon mitigation contractors, visit the Clark County Health Department’s website at https://www.clarkcountywi.gov/ph-radon.