There is a reason Toby Flenderson ran around Dunder Mifflin placing radon test kits everywhere during random episodes of The Office. Radon is a silent killer and it should be taken seriously, especially in Colorado.

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This radioactive gas has no smell, taste, or color, and when it collects within the enclosed spaces of your home can result in long-term illness including the risk of lung cancer.

How Does Radon Get In My Colorado Home?

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Living in Colorado means living in a state that is prone to soil containing Uranium. As uranium decays it releases radon gas. This dangerous gas can seep up through the ground and into our homes making us sick.

Prolonged exposure to radon gas can result in lung cancer and other serious illnesses. Keep reading to learn more about how to detect this silent killer before it starts to affect your household's health.

What are the Warning Signs of Radon?

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What makes radon so dangerous is that the only way to know it is in your home is to test for it. Just because there was no radon detected when your home was built does not mean it isn't there now. The danger is that there is no warning.

Once you start exposing your lungs to radon gas it will start doing damage and you won't know it until it is too late.

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How Can I Test for Radon?

Testing for radon usually involves two options. You can go buy the test kits and test the property yourself, or you can hire a company that will test the property for you.

Testing at home usually means setting up the test kits in the basement or lowest level of your home for a pre-determined amount of time, and then sending them off to be tested in a lab.

The state of Colorado has set up a Colorado Radon Hotline at (800) 846-3986. They can send you a free test kit or help you find a company to test your property. You can visit them online here.

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LOOK: Everything You Need to Know About Radon

You can't see it, taste it, or smell it but radon is a dangerous gas that is lurking in some areas of the United States. It is estimated that radon is the cause of 21,000 deaths related to lung cancer each year.

January is Radon Awareness Month and the CDC has shared the following helpful facts about radon and information on how you can help protect your family from this deadly gas.

Gallery Credit: Jessica On The Radio

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Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams