Wisconsin specifically, among other states, has dangerously high levels of radon which can affect health. Although no level of exposure to radon is safe, the higher the concentrations and longer an individual is exposed to the gas, the more likely that health problems can occur. In the United States, radon gas is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer and is responsible for 21,000 deaths per year according to the EPA.

Both the EPA and the Surgeon General state the only way to find the radon levels within the home is to have it tested. You cannot rely on the results of your next-door neighbors when they tested.

The levels can vary by a large amount even from homes right next to each other. General maps are available that show whether a home is in a high-risk area; unfortunately, Wisconsin is labeled in red in most of the almost all the southern counties.