Oneida County Health Department urges residents to test homes for radon gas

It seeps silently through basement cracks and foundation gaps, an invisible invader that accumulates in living rooms and bedrooms without warning. You can’t smell it, see it, or taste it. But radon gas is present in homes across Oneida County, and health officials want residents to know it’s killing thousands of Americans each year.
“Just because we can’t see radon doesn’t mean it isn’t in our homes or dangerous to our health,” said Paula Tran, Wisconsin’s state health officer. “January is National Radon Action Month. This is a good time for Wisconsinites to learn about radon, test their homes, and talk with others about the risk.”
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who don’t smoke, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The naturally occurring radioactive gas forms when uranium in soil and rock breaks down, then rises through the ground and finds its way inside buildings through any available opening—foundation cracks, construction joints, gaps around pipes.
Once inside, it becomes trapped and concentrated, exposing residents to radiation levels that can damage lung tissue over years of exposure. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates radon causes approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States.
For smokers, the danger multiplies dramatically. High radon levels increase lung cancer risk tenfold for people who use tobacco, creating a lethal combination of carcinogens.

“Testing your home for radon is easy and can save lives,” said Oneida County Health Officer Linda Conlon. “Knowing your radon level helps protect your family now and in the future.”
The good news, according to Conlon and other health officials, is that testing is simple and mitigation is possible. Once homeowners know their radon levels, they can take steps to reduce concentrations if needed.
Wisconsin has made radon testing more accessible through a network of 17 county agencies called Regional Radon Information Centers, which serve all 72 counties statewide. Since 2010, these centers have distributed more than 100,000 free or low-cost radon test kits and assisted thousands of residents annually.
Throughout January, the Oneida County Health Department is offering radon test kits at a discounted rate of $15, which includes postage for mailing the kit to a lab for analysis. The kits are normally priced higher, but the department has reduced the cost through the end of January to encourage more residents to test their homes.
“No appointment is necessary,” Conlon noted. “Just visit our office at 100 West Keenan Street in Rhinelander anytime Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and ask for a radon test kit.”
The test kits are designed for ease of use. Homeowners place the detector in the lowest lived-in level of their home for a specified period, then mail it to a laboratory for analysis. Results indicate whether radon levels exceed EPA’s action level of 4 picocuries per liter, at which point mitigation is recommended.
Radon levels can vary significantly from house to house, even within the same neighborhood. One home might have low levels while the house next door tests high. The only way to know is to test.
The discounted kits will be available at the Oneida County Health Department through January 31, 2026.
For more information about radon, testing, and mitigation options, residents can visit lowradon.org or contact the Oneida County Health Department at 715-369-6111.