Nearly 40 percent of Idaho homes that have been tested for radon showed unsafe levels. Radon is a problem in Idaho and high levels have been found in every county. Long term exposure to high levels of radon can increase your risk of developing lung cancer. The good news is radon problems can be fixed with mitigation.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Radon rises up from the soil and invades homes and buildings through crawlspaces, foundation cracks and openings. When radon gets trapped indoors it can reach harmful levels. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, with the Environmental Protection Agency estimating that radon causes 21,000 deaths in the United States each year.
Every home in Idaho should be tested for radon. The only way to know if your home has high levels of radon is to test for it, with winter being the best time to do that. Testing is easy, simple and inexpensive. Visit www.radonidaho.org to order a radon test kit with easy to follow instructions for $9.95. This covers the cost for shipping and lab analysis. For more information call the Idaho CareLine at 211.
| Idaho Radon Rates | ||
| City | Zip Code | % of Tested Homes with Unsafe Levels |
| Blackfoot | 83221 | 44% |
| Boise | 83702 | 36% |
| Challis | 83226 | 61% |
| Coeur d’Alene | 83815 | 64% |
| Idaho Falls | 83401 | 42% |
| McCall | 83638 | 32% |
| Mountain Home | 83647 | 50% |
| Orofino | 83544 | 35% |
| Pocatello | 83202 | 51% |
| Rexburg | 83440 | 63% |
| Salmon | 83467 | 56% |
| Sun Valley | 83340 | 60% |
The Radon Program is part of the Department of Health and Welfare’s Division of Public Health. Learn more and view radon levels in your zip code at Idaho at www.radonidaho.org
Contact:
Jim Faust, Radon Program Manager
(208) 334-5717
Tom Shanahan, Public Information Officer
(208) 334-0668
DHW Voice 
Radon is really dangerous. Being exposed to radon for a long period of time can lead to lung cancer because radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas and it is present both outdoors and indoors. So we need to be careful about radon gas. The only way to know whether you’re being exposed to it is to test for it because radon gas can’t be seen or smelled.
It’s really alarming to know that high radon levels are the cause of about 21,000 deaths in the US each year. We’ll be moving to a new house in New Milford, CT, around January so we want to make sure first that it is safe for our family. Maybe I should have it checked for radon first and see if mitigation is needed.