Naugatuck Valley Health District To Distribute Free Radon Home Test Kits

NAUGATUCK, CT — The Naugatuck Valley Health District will join 34 other local health departments and districts to distribute free radon home test kits to residents this month in recognition of National Radon Action Month.

According to a news release provided by NVHD, the test kits will be distributed as part of a statewide initiative to raise awareness, increase testing, promote mitigation and reduce the number of radon-induced lung cancer deaths in Connecticut.

Residents of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour or Shelton may call the Naugatuck Valley Health District at (203) 881-3255 ext. 126 to receive a free home radon test kit.

The health district noted it has a limited supply of 100 free short-term test kits which are now available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Homebound individuals or those with limited access to transportation are encouraged to call so accommodations can be made, according to NVHD.

The release notes that radon is a naturally occurring, colorless and odorless radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water.

Radon can enter homes through small cracks and openings in foundations, floors, and walls, and can build up indoors to levels that pose a serious health risk. Prolonged exposure to radon increases the risk of lung cancer, according to NVHD.

(The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has provided the following list of health risks involving radon.)

NVHD, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, American Lung Association of Connecticut and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency urge residents to test their homes for radon and to mitigate elevated levels when found.

The heating season is the best time to test for radon because homes are typically closed up, allowing radon levels to build up indoors, according to NVHD.

Easy-to-use, short-term testing takes about 3-7 days and includes instructions with visual aids. Return USPS shipping of the completed test kit back to a NELAP Approved Radon Lab is included with the free test kit, according to NVHD.

Radon test kits may also be purchased by calling the American Lung Association at 1-800-325-1245, visiting www.lung.org, or stopping by a local hardware or home improvement store. Short term test kits typically cost around $20, according to NVHD.

Additional information about radon is available by contacting the Naugatuck Valley Health District at (203) 881-3255 or the Connecticut Department of Public Health Radon Program at (860) 509-7300, as well as at www.ct.gov/dph/radon.