Salt Lake City, UT – As Thanksgiving celebrations fill homes across Utah, health officials are issuing a serious warning about a silent, invisible killer that could be building up inside. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (UDHHS) are urging residents to test for radon, a radioactive gas that poses a major health risk — particularly during winter when homes are sealed to keep out the cold.
Radon forms as uranium in the soil and rock beneath homes naturally decays, releasing gas that seeps through cracks, drains, and foundation joints. Because it has no color, smell, or taste, radon can silently accumulate indoors to dangerous levels.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the country, responsible for over 21,000 deaths annually. Utah ranks among the top 10 states for high radon exposure, with the EPA estimating that 1 in 3 Utah homes exceeds the safety threshold of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) — particularly in areas like Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Provo…