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Radon enters buildings through cracks in the floors or walls; usually, the highest concentrations are in the basement or crawlspace. Most exposure to Radon comes from being indoors. Licensed daycares and schools are required to test and mitigate by law, but we have no current regulations for our homes. Hopefully, we will have an Iowa policy in the future – to test for Radon prior to the transfer of ownership so that new owners are aware of the health risks for their families and can mitigate them.
By breathing in radon gas, it gets trapped in our lungs and damages the lung tissue. Exposure to Radon gas causes lung cancer, in fact, it is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. (second only to smoking).
Radon testing is very easy and inexpensive. Kits are available to pickup at the Pottawattamie County Public Health Clinic or Planning Department office at a cost of $12.50.
The Iowa Department of Public Health supports the Iowa Radon Hotline and maintains a list of licensed radon mitigation professionals.