Free Radon Test Kits Available For Sarasota County Residents

SARASOTA, FL – The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County is looking to protect local residents from a silent killer: radon.

As part of National Radon Action Month in January, DOH-Sarasota’s Environmental Health Office is providing homeowners and renters free radon test kits, a $15 value, until Monday, Feb. 13. The giveaway is an effort to raise awareness about the importance of identifying and mitigating elevated indoor radon levels in homes.

According to health officials, radon is a gas that occurs naturally in soil. High levels can build up in homes and buildings. The colorless, odorless and tasteless gas in indoor air causes more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.

According to state health officials, one in five homes tested for radon in Florida has elevated levels. However, radon can be detected with a simple test and high levels can be fixed improving ventilation and other proven techniques.

“Exposure to elevated indoor radon levels is an invisible yet real threat to your health,” said Tom Higginbotham, the director of DOH-Sarasota’s Environmental Health Office. “This month, we are working to equip families with free radon testing for their homes.”

To help prevent dangerous level of radon exposure, the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends:

• All homeowners test their homes for radon
• Homeowners should fix radon problems immediately to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure to their family
• New homes should include radon-resistant features

For more information about radon, its health effects, testing procedures and free test kits for Sarasota County residents, visit the DOH-Sarasota website or call the Environmental Health Office at (941) 861-6133.

The Florida Department of Health also offers a Radon Hotline at (800) 543-8279.

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