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Consumer Information

Radon Tips: Test, Fix, Save a Life

Call your State Radon Contact to learn more about test kits and radon professionals that can help you test or fix your home. For more information about radon:

Get the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files linked on this page.  See EPA's PDF page to learn more.  [En Espaņol]

Learn more about National Radon Action Month.

Learn About Risk From Radon

You can’t see, smell, or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home.  Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 20,000 Americans each year.  In fact, the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools, and other buildings for radon. Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk, and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure.  If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family. 

Take Action in January

EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month. To find activities taking place in your area during 2010 National Radon Action Month, visit the Radon Leaders Saving Lives Portal . Visit the Activities Page for a national snapshot of the events taking place in support of National Radon Action Month across the United States. If you would like to organize an event in your neighborhood, see the Event Planning Kit to get started.

Four Things You Can Do During National Radon Action Month

  1. Test your home - EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon.  Testing is easy and inexpensive. Learn more about testing your home, including how to obtain an easy-to-use test kit.
     
  2. Attend a National Radon Action Month event in your area - Look for radon events in your community. Contact your state radon program for more information about local radon activities.
     
  3. Spread the word

    4.  
  4. Buy a radon-resistant home - If you are considering buying a new home, look for builders who use radon-resistant new construction. Read more about radon-resistant new construction, "Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide to Build Radon-Resistant Homes" (PDF, 84 pp., 5.5 M).

    Contact your state radon program for information about radon testing, mitigation, and radon-resistant new construction in your area.

EPA Radon Public Service Media Campaigns

Green Sox Radon Media Campaign

Do you want to know how to step out on the green side of building healthier? EPA has developed a media campaign, Living Healthy & Green, to educate consumers about the ease of testing for radon. The campaign features Fuad Reveiz, a home builder and former professional football player, who builds his new homes radon-resistant and encourages others to do the same. These unique PSAs promote building healthier homes from the ground up. Look for these PSAs in your area, or view them now at www.epapsa.com .

Eddie’s Story

Eddies Story

In 2008, EPA asked for 30-60 second video submissions with the theme "Radon: Test, Fix, Save a Life" encouraging Americans to test and fix their homes for radon, and we received more than 30 entries. The winning entry in the Radon Video Contest, titled “Eddie’s Story,” featured the true story of lung cancer survivor Eddie Metcalfe.

Eddie’s Story has now been developed into a powerful media campaign spearheaded by EPA to raise radon awareness. The new Eddie's Story Radon Public Service Announcement (PSA) materials are available to download and order. Partners can order TV kits and download embeddable video (including closed captioned) featuring the Eddie’s Story video PSA. Web banners and a print PSA for magazines or newspapers are also available. Encourage media outlets in your area to use this true testimonial to show the very real health risk caused by radon.

To download all of the Eddie’s Story campaign materials, and for tips on how to promote Eddie's Story in your National Radon Action Month outreach, visit www.epapsa.com/campaigns/eddiestory/

The National Radon Poster Contest

Click on the image for a larger version

Kansas State University (KSU) and the National Safety Council (NSC), in partnership with EPA, are proud to announce the 2010 National Radon Poster Contest winners. Congratulations to all of the participants in the 2010 National Radon Poster Contest, and special congratulations to our national winners listed below. To view all of national and state level winning posters, visit the KSU National Radon Program Services Web site at http://sosradon.org/2010-poster-contest .

For the 2010 contest, 216 schools in 36 states, one U.S. territory and seven tribal nations created a total of 2,862 posters. This is an impressive increase over the results from previous years, and shows how increased efforts have helped raise awareness of radon risk among children and their parents.

The top national winner, a parent and the sponsoring teacher will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to be honored during the National Radon Poster Contest Awards Luncheon at the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium in January 2010.

If you missed this year’s contest, look for the 2011 contest announcement next summer on the KSU National Radon Program Services Web site at http://sosradon.org/ .

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