Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
Almost everyone has an occasional cough or congestion and they write it off as no big deal, but if you live in Utah, it's critical to be aware that a bigger issue could be at play — radon-induced lung cancer.
January is National Radon Action Month, and there is no better time to learn from the American Lung Association and UtahRadon.org about how you can protect yourself and your family from a potentially life-threatening illness.
What is radon?
Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas that rises from the Utah soil into the air we breathe. While it's not much of a danger outdoors where the gas can disperse, it can concentrate indoors and attack your lungs with cancer-causing radiation. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, and according to the American Lung Association's 2024 State of Lung Cancer report, Utah ranks among the states with the highest average levels of radon in the country.
According to Nick Torres, advocacy firector with the American Lung Association, radon has been found in high concentrations in homes in every state across the country. Even more, radon levels can vary from home to home, so even if your neighbor has low radon levels, that does not mean you're in the clear.
Radon's life-altering impact
Unlike carbon monoxide and other gases that might find their way into your home, radon exposure has no immediate symptoms. Both short- and long-term exposure can have negative outcomes, and many people have no idea they have high radon levels in their home until they receive a stage three or four non-smoking lung cancer diagnosis.
Every home should be tested for radon. Thousands of lung cancer deaths could be avoided each year if home and building owners acted to test and fix.
–Nick Torres, American Lung Association advocacy director
Even more, children may be at greater risk because they have a higher respiratory rate than adults do. Scientists are still trying to evaluate the full impact radon can have on children, but some data suggests radon exposure may be linked to attention issues and childhood leukemia.
What the American Lung Association wants all Utah residents to know about radon
The American Lung Association wants all Utahns to know over 40% of radon test results in Utah are at or above the mitigation action level recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency, and it's critical to test your home every two years as radon levels can change over time.
"Every home should be tested for radon," Torres explained. "Thousands of lung cancer deaths could be avoided each year if home and building owners acted to test and fix."
"We encourage everyone to visit the American Lung Association's website, Lung.org/Radon, for lots of educational materials targeted to a variety of audiences [including] home buyers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers," Torres said. "On our website, you'll find free resources like an online course called "Radon Basics," strategies for protecting tenants from radon in their homes and ideas for addressing radon risk reduction in schools."
What Utahns can do about radon
While radon is a significant danger to Utahns, a simple do-it-yourself test can tell you whether your home has a high radon level. If it does, a radon mitigation system can be installed to reduce exposure permanently.
UtahRadon.org is currently offering one free radon test kit per household.

