radontest kitJamestown (CSi) High radon levels are common in homes in Stutsman County, according to an inspector with First Choice Home Inspections.

Darcy Herman,has tested has a radon level that is above what is considered a health risk. The high radon levels are found either in the basement or another part of the house.

He found one home in Jamestown that tested below 4 picocuries.

The average outdoor radon level is 0.4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. An indoor level of 2 pCi/L is a health risk and anything 4 pCi/L or higher is a health hazard.

North Dakota is considered a Zone 1 state, with all counties having a predicted average indoor radon level greater than 4 pCi/L, according to the EPA. The odorless, radioactive gas comes from decaying uranium that seeps out of the ground and is a health risk as a carcinogen when it accumulates inside buildings.

He adds, that Radon abatement can be as simple as a polyethylene sheet

Free radon tests are available to pick up at Central Valley Health Distric in Jamestown.

Free radon kits are also available from the Department of Health. Do-it-yourself radon mitigation videos can be seen at ndhealth.gov under radon.