Radon is a natural radioactive gas that can cause cancer. You can’t see, smell or taste it, but radon may be in your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the first leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers.
According to the EPA, the entire state of Iowa is considered at high risk for radon gas in homes. High levels of radon can be found in any type of home, so it is important for everyone to test their home.
Iowa HHS, the Iowa Cancer Consortium and state partners have developed and are implementing a state comprehensive cancer control plan. The plan encourages health-care providers to routinely ask patients about healthy lifestyle factors including in-home radon testing, local health departments to provide access to low-cost radon test kits and encourages all Iowan’s to test their home for radon. Priority VI of the plan addresses decreasing the environmental exposure to radon.
Iowa HHS contracts with the American Lung Association to maintain the Health Air - Radon in Iowa website, and staff Iowa's Radon Hotline. You can reach the Hotline by calling 1-800-383-5992 to order low-cost radon test kits and find answers to your radon questions. Operating hours are 8:30 am (CST) through 4:30 pm (CST). If you are calling after standard operating hours, the automated messaging service will record your message and a staff member will return your call.
Although there are no immediate symptoms, long-term exposure to radon can cause cellular damage in the lungs that can lead to lung cancer.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, and the National Safety Council recommend testing your home for radon because testing is the only way to know if your home has radon.
Contact your local county health department or call 1-800-383-5992 to purchase a do-it-yourself, low-cost test kit. Test kits are also available for purchase from most hardware and home improvement stores. If you would like an Iowa certified measurement professional to test your home see the list or map under "Find a Specialist" below.
If your home is being tested for radon as part of a real estate transaction see the EPA "Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide" booklet below or the "Iowa Home Buyer's and Seller's Factsheet" under the Resources section of our website for more information.
Iowa certified measurement specialist must follow all U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) radon measurement guidelines and protocols when testing for radon or radon progeny. EPA guidance is to use the consensus standards of protocols developed by the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists National Radon Proficiency Program and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI/AARST).
The development of quality assurance/quality control plans and programs within a business should be based on the below ANSI/AARST standard:
These above standards are available to view for free via the EPA or AARST/NRPP websites.
To find a certified radon measurement specialist in your area, click on the following list or map:
To find a certified laboratory click on the below link:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified the action level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Results at or above 4 pCi/L are considered elevated and mitigation is recommended, however mitigation decisions should not be based upon a single test result.
Credentialed radon mitigation contractors can install a radon mitigation system that lowers radon levels in your home. The goal of installing a radon mitigation system in a home is to reduce radon to the lowest possible level.
The installation of a radon mitigation system in Iowa shall follow the requirements as stated in EPA’s Radon Mitigation Standards (RMS) EPA 402-R-93-078, October 1993 (Revised April 1994) and the American Society for Testing Materials International (ASTMI) Standard Practice for Installing Radon Mitigation Systems in Existing Low-Rise Residential Buildings E2121. All “shoulds” in the above document shall be “shalls” according to department standards.
To find a radon mitigation specialist in your area click on the following list or map: