(Photo provided by the Cortland County Health Department).
Cortland County has one of the highest average basement and first floor radon readings in New York State, due to the county’s geology.
Through Radon Action Month, the county health department is offering free radon charcoal canister test kits in an effort to lower levels of radon throughout the area.
Radon Action Month, held in January every year, is an effort to increase awareness about radon – a radioactive gas that is colorless and odorless. It is found across many homes across the country.
The county’s radon program provides testing kits to homeowners through a $10,000 New York State Indoor Air Radon grant they receive on an annual basis.
Liz Nichols, the county’s public health educator, said the testing kits are an effort to discover what’s occurring in a home and what county residents’ and their families are potentially being exposed to.
“With glacier deposits, the county was left with radon that forms naturally from the decay and the breaking down of radioactive elements,” Nichols said, which includes uranium. “It’s found in different amounts in our soil and rock. It can be found in underground water and surface water.”
Nichols mentioned that radon is the leading cause for lung cancer in non-smokers, and an elevated risk for smokers.
County residents can call Nichols at 607-428-5410 and request a kit. Those interested in a kit can also fill out a form located here on the county’s website. Nichols will follow-up with a phone call.
The test kits can be mailed to an individual’s home. Nichols noted the testing kits provide education and instructions on how to set them up. If residents need further assistance, they can request a county health department staff member to visit their home, help with the paperwork and set up the test.
“We really want to encourage people to test (for radon),” Nichols said. “Testing is the only way to know if you or your family are at risk for radon exposure.”
Radon test kit results are received right from a lab. Individuals can then call the county health department and request a breakdown of the results.
If issues or a high radon reading stems from the test, individuals should seek immediate professional assistance by reaching out to certified mitigators. Nichols noted the county health department has a list of certified mitigators from the state.
The certified mitigators install a mitigation system in the basement of a home to bring the radon levels down to a level that’s acceptable, or clear radon detection in the indoor air. County residents can implement other radon-reducing measures, including sealing up cracks in the basement.
Further information can be found here. The county also provides a video by clicking here. Nichols is part of the discussion about radon.
“It’s totally preventable and can be fixed,” Nichols said of radon. “We want to encourage testing and fixing because it can save lives.”
Archived stories on radon can be found here in The Cortland Voice website.
