Fort Collins Offers Free and Discounted Radon Test Kits This January

Fort Collins is marking National Radon Action Month by offering deeply discounted and a limited number of free home radon test kits in January, aiming to reduce lung cancer risk in a community where radon levels routinely exceed federal safety thresholds.

This matters because Colorado's elevated radon rates and new tenant protections make timely testing critical for both homeowners and renters in Fort Collins.

About half of Fort Collins homes tested have radon at 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher—the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended action level for mitigation, according to the city.

Larimer County data confirms this: 54.9 percent of 18,512 pre-mitigation tests from 2005 to 2024 met or exceeded 4.0 pCi/L. The median level was 4.6 pCi/L; the maximum peaked at approximately 1,147 pCi/L.

Larimer County averages 7.8 pCi/L versus the national average of 1.3 pCi/L.

Radon is "a colorless, odorless and naturally occurring gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer," according to the City of Fort Collins.

The city sells short-term test kits for $6 and long-term kits for $20 at the Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive. The first 100 residents get free short-term kits at the Senior Center during January.

Under Colorado law, tenants can void their leases if landlords fail to mitigate radon after 180 days, according to the city.

Homeowners with elevated radon can access certified contractors through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Qualifying households can access financial assistance through the Low-Income Radon Mitigation Assistance Program.

Residents can learn more about radon and its health impacts at fortcollins.gov/radon.