• Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles on radon awareness in Kane County.

All Kane County residents should test their homes for radon.

That’s just common sense. The hard truth is that almost half of the 10,000 homes and buildings tested between 2003 and 2011 showed high levels of radon. A high radon level requiring action is greater than 4.0 pico curies — and the average level for Kane County is 5.2.

The Kane County Health Department website’s radon page is a great resource to learn more about the dangers of radon, and if you don’t take anything from this article except the following, remember this:

Testing is the only way to know your home’s radon level.

The Health Department has partnered with local businesses that are helping to make sure residents understand radon dangers and provide test kits. A list of those businesses is provided below along with additional resources that can help you choose a radon testing kit for your home.

Kane County Stores That Participate in Radon Awareness

The following is a list of retail stores participating in Radon Awareness:

• Home Depot, 1250 N. Orchard Road, Aurora
• Home Depot, 2111 S. Randall Road, Geneva
• Sugar Grove Ace Hardware, 160 E. Galena Boulevard, Sugar Grove
• Ace Hardware, 2144 W. Galena Boulevard, Aurora
• Ace Hardware, 994 N. Lake St., Aurora
• Ace Hardware, 1901 W. Wilson St., Batavia
• Geneva Ace Hardware, 617 W. State St., Geneva
• DG Ace Hardware, 2650 E. Main St., St. Charles
• Ziegler’s Ace Hardware, 301 Randall Road South Elgin
• Ziegler’s Ace Hardware, 1158 Lillian St., Elgin
• Ziegler’s Ace Hardware, 215 N. Spring St., Elgin
• Ziegler’s Ace Hardware, Meadowdale Shopping Center, Carpentersville

For more information about the Health Places Coalition, please visit the Kane Healthy Places website www.kanehealthyplaces.com or contact Terry Roman at 630-264-7653 or emailRomanTerry@co.kane.il.us.

More Places to Get Test Kits

In additional to local hardware stores, radon testing kits are available from the Kane County Health Department and the Kane County Development Office.

Test kits cost $15, which includes certified lab analysis and postage, and are available at:

• Aurora Health Department Office, 1240 N. Highland Avenue, Suite 5, Aurora, IL 60506. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Kane County Development Office, 719 South Batavia Avenue, 4th Floor Geneva, Illinois 60134. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Elgin Health Department Office, 1750 Grandstand Place, Suite 2, Elgin, IL 60123. Hours are 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.

Free test kits are available to those who are income eligible through Community Contacts, Inc. at (847)697-8800. Free test kits for Aurora residents are also available through Joseph Corporation at (630) 906-9400.

Read the Series

• Part 1: Soil Puts Kane County Homes at Higher Risk of Radon
• Part 2: VIDEO: Kane County Students Can Be Involved in Radon Awareness, Too

About the Healthy Places Coalition

The mission of the Kane County Healthy Places Coalition is to engage all interested community members in assessing interest and issues for improving overall community health. The Coalition is formed by participants from diverse aspects of the community, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Kane County Health Department, municipal governments, hospitals, fire departments, community advocacy groups, non-profits, private corporations and many others. For more information, vision the Kane County Healthy Places Coalition web page.

About the Kane County Health Department

In active partnership with our community, the Kane County Health Department improves the quality of life and well-being of all residents by developing and implementing local policies, systems, and services that protect and promote health, and prevent disease, injury and disability. Visit the Health Department’s Facebook Page and sign up for the award-winning “Health Matters” newsletter.

SOURCE: Kane County Health Department