However, Box Elder and Morgan counties exceed this state average.
As of June 2019, in Box Elder County, 56.9% of the 831 homes tested across the county have too much radon, at a level of 7.5 pCi/L on average.
About 65% of the 46 homes tested in the zip code 84324, which covers Mantua and the surrounding areas, tested too high, with an average radon level of 12.5 pCi/L, three times the action level.
In Morgan County, 52.4% of the 278 homes tested exceeded 4 pCi/L of radon, with an average of 6.6 pCi/L.
Weber and Davis counties are consistent with the state average, with about a third of homes overall having a level of radon that is too high, but certain pockets have higher percentages.
As of June 2019, almost 60% of the 544 homes tested for radon in the zip code 84014, an area of Davis County that covers Centerville, exceeded the "action level" of 4 pCi/L, with an average among those homes of 7.6 pCi/L.
About 60% of the 285 homes tested in the zip code 84310, an area in Weber County that covers Eden and a wide swath of area to the north, had an average three times the action level, at 12.1 pCi/L.
In the zip code 84414, which covers North Ogden and Pleasant View in Weber County, almost half of all homes, 48.2%, have radon levels that are too high, at 5.3 pCi/L on average.
What's scarier is that many homes defied these averages, with levels that were multiple times higher than even the Poulsens' home, which measured 24.9 pCi/L.
The maximum level of radon tested in a home was 90.4 pCi/L in Box Elder County, 215 pCi/L in Davis County, 200 pCi/L in Morgan County and 152.4 in Weber County.
"For me, almost more than any other reason that you want to test, you just want to make sure that you're not being exposed to such high levels," Divver said.
Contact reporter Megan Olsen at [email protected] or 801-625-4227. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganAOlsen.
"The fact is the only way to know what our levels are in our home is to test," Divvers said. "We can't know because we can't see it or smell it or taste it."
For Radon Action Month, DEQ had a giveaway of 100 radon tests — and as of Monday, all of those tests have been claimed.
However, DEQ offers discounted radon tests for sale on their website at radon.utah.gov for Utah residents. The least expensive test, which Divver said was just as effective as more expensive versions, costs $11.
"Really, a bedroom is ideal to test, because that's where we're really spending the majority of time at home — people will spend seven to eight hours in their bedroom," Divver said.
If the result of the first test comes in between 4-9 pCi/L, the EPA recommends a second test to confirm, Divver said.
If your home consistently tests above 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends finding a certified professional to install a mitigation system, Divver said.
Mitigation systems pull the radon out from the area under the slabs homes are built on, reducing the amount of radon that makes it into the home, Divver said.
The average cost of installing a mitigation system runs from $1,200 to $1,500, Divver said, and DEQ recommends that homeowners seek three bids.
How many homes in Northern Utah are affected
Poulsen and her family are not alone among Utahns when it comes to radon exposure. Across Utah, about one in three homes has too much radon in the air.
However, Box Elder and Morgan counties exceed this state average. -----
As of June 2019, in Box Elder County, 56.9% of the 831 homes tested across the county have too much radon, at a level of 7.5 pCi/L on average.
About 65% of the 46 homes tested in the zip code 84324, which covers Mantua and the surrounding areas, tested too high, with an average radon level of 12.5 pCi/L, three times the action level.
In Morgan County, 52.4% of the 278 homes tested exceeded 4 pCi/L of radon, with an average of 6.6 pCi/L.
Weber and Davis counties are consistent with the state average, with about a third of homes overall having a level of radon that is too high, but certain pockets have higher percentages.
As of June 2019, almost 60% of the 544 homes tested for radon in the zip code 84014, an area of Davis County that covers Centerville, exceeded the "action level" of 4 pCi/L, with an average among those homes of 7.6 pCi/L.
About 60% of the 285 homes tested in the zip code 84310, an area in Weber County that covers Eden and a wide swath of area to the north, had an average three times the action level, at 12.1 pCi/L.
In the zip code 84414, which covers North Ogden and Pleasant View in Weber County, almost half of all homes, 48.2%, have radon levels that are too high, at 5.3 pCi/L on average.
What's scarier is that many homes defied these averages, with levels that were multiple times higher than even the Poulsens' home, which measured 24.9 pCi/L.
The maximum level of radon tested in a home was 90.4 pCi/L in Box Elder County, 215 pCi/L in Davis County, 200 pCi/L in Morgan County and 152.4 in Weber County.
"For me, almost more than any other reason that you want to test, you just want to make sure that you're not being exposed to such high levels," Divver said.
Contact reporter Megan Olsen at [email protected] or 801-625-4227. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganAOlsen.
Continued on next page ...
Across Utah, about one in three homes has too much radon in the air.
If the result of the first test comes in between 4-9 pCi/L, the EPA recommends a second test to confirm, Divver said.
If your home consistently tests above 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends finding a certified professional to install a mitigation system, Divver said.
Mitigation systems pull the radon out from the area under the slabs homes are built on, reducing the amount of radon that makes it into the home, Divver said.
The average cost of installing a mitigation system runs from $1,200 to $1,500, Divver said, and DEQ recommends that homeowners seek three bids.
How many homes in Northern Utah are affected
Poulsen and her family are not alone among Utahns when it comes to radon exposure. Across Utah, about one in three homes has too much radon in the air.
However, Box Elder and Morgan counties exceed this state average. -----
As of June 2019, in Box Elder County, 56.9% of the 831 homes tested across the county have too much radon, at a level of 7.5 pCi/L on average.
About 65% of the 46 homes tested in the zip code 84324, which covers Mantua and the surrounding areas, tested too high, with an average radon level of 12.5 pCi/L, three times the action level.
In Morgan County, 52.4% of the 278 homes tested exceeded 4 pCi/L of radon, with an average of 6.6 pCi/L.
Weber and Davis counties are consistent with the state average, with about a third of homes overall having a level of radon that is too high, but certain pockets have higher percentages.
As of June 2019, almost 60% of the 544 homes tested for radon in the zip code 84014, an area of Davis County that covers Centerville, exceeded the "action level" of 4 pCi/L, with an average among those homes of 7.6 pCi/L.
About 60% of the 285 homes tested in the zip code 84310, an area in Weber County that covers Eden and a wide swath of area to the north, had an average three times the action level, at 12.1 pCi/L.
In the zip code 84414, which covers North Ogden and Pleasant View in Weber County, almost half of all homes, 48.2%, have radon levels that are too high, at 5.3 pCi/L on average.
What's scarier is that many homes defied these averages, with levels that were multiple times higher than even the Poulsens' home, which measured 24.9 pCi/L.
The maximum level of radon tested in a home was 90.4 pCi/L in Box Elder County, 215 pCi/L in Davis County, 200 pCi/L in Morgan County and 152.4 in Weber County.
"For me, almost more than any other reason that you want to test, you just want to make sure that you're not being exposed to such high levels," Divver said.
Contact reporter Megan Olsen at [email protected] or 801-625-4227. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganAOlsen.
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