City Of Edina issued the following announcement on Dec. 31.
To help Edina residents ensure their homes are safe, the City’s Health Division is offering residents radon test kits for $5.
Radon is an odorless and colorless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in Minnesota soils. It can enter and build up in homes through unsealed areas such as cracks in the concrete slab. The accumulation can reach dangerous levels, which is why testing is important.
Testing is easy and only takes three to seven days. The best time to test is during the heating season, but it can be done any time of year. Tests should be conducted in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied.
“Finding out the current radon level in your home is the first step toward figuring out what you need to do to keep your family safe and limit your exposure to radon,” said Lee Renneke, Environmental Health Specialist.
Test kits can be obtained for $5 at the Edina Police Department office. Enter via the exterior Police door, which is to the right of the main City Hall doors at 4801 W. 50th St. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Wear a mask and please practice social distancing. Kits are also sold in home improvement stores and online for roughly $10-$15.
Residents should not rely on test results from neighbors’ homes. Even the house next door can have very different radon levels. The only way to know if your home has high radon levels is to test.
If a home’s level is at or above 4 piC/L, owners should consider verification testing and having a radon mitigation system installed. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) keeps a list of certified radon mitigation contractors at bit.ly/380R31s. More information about radon in Minnesota can be found by visiting health.state.mn.us/radon.
Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United States and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. According to the MDH website, more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon each year in the United States. To help raise awareness, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated January as National Radon Action Month.
For more information, contact Renneke at 952-826-0464 or LRenneke@EdinaMN.gov.
Original source can be found here.
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