Staff photo by Fritz Busch Free radon test kits are available in Brown County while supplies last. They can be picked up at the Brown County Public Health office, 1117 Center St. in New Ulm and at Sleepy Eye, Springfield and Comfrey City Hall.

NEW ULM — Free radon test kits are available in Brown County while supplies last.

Test kits can be picked up at the Brown County Public Health office, 1117 Center St. and at Sleepy Eye, Springfield and Comfrey City Hall.

“We have lots of older homes in Brown County with leaky foundations, sump pump and septic systems,” said Brown County Public Health Director Jaimee Brand.

She said Brown County and surrounding counties have some of the highest radon levels in Minnesota.

In Brown County, over 70% of homes that tested for radon from 2010 to 2020 had elevated levels. Every January, Brown County Public Health, alongside the Minnesota Department of Health, promotes the importance of testing your homes for radon.

Two of five Minnesota homes have dangerous levels of radon, an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that can cause lung cancer.

In Minnesota, the average radon level is over three times higher than the national average, making the need for testing a huge importance. Radon comes through the soil around homes and seeps through sealed cracks in basement floors and walls. If radon is detected in homes, a licensed professional can install a system to reduce radon concentrations. Homes in Minnesota should be tested at least every five years.

If a large amount of radon is present in the home, the radioactive particles from the radon gas are breathed into the lungs. Exposure over long periods can increase the chances to develop lung cancer. More than 21,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon every year in the United States. Testing is the only way to determine if your home has elevated levels of radon.

About 21,000 people die each year in the United States from lung cancer due to radon exposure. Radon can be reduced with a mitigation system, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Radon is produced from the natural decay of uranium and radium found in rocks and soil. Radon gas is in the soil. Because soil is porous, radon moves up from the soil and into homes.

Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer in smokers. If you smoke, the combined risk of smoking and radon exposure is much higher.

Test kits can also be purchased for $5 through the department of health at www.mn.radon.com.

Free support for Minnesota teens and adults to quit smoking, vaping or chewing, visit QuitPartnerMN.com or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

.