Pennsylvania

DEP urges all Pennsylvanians to test their homes for radon this January

Published

11 months ago

January 16, 2025

DEP urges all Pennsylvanians to test their homes for radon this January

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – There’s a new alert to all Pennsylvanians about radon testing still being crucial in homes, schools, and businesses to protect your health.

A state radon expert is shining a light on why people should take “National Radon Action Month” seriously, no matter where they live in the state.

We’re deep in the coldest days of the year; Homes are closed up and the heat is cranked up. It’s the best time to check your home for radon.

“Pennsylvania is probably the most radon-prone state in the country…We have results at least 25 times the EPA guideline of every county and some much more than others,” said Bob Lewis, the radon program manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Radiation Protection.

According to the American Lung Association, about 40 percent of Pennsylvania homes are believed to have radon levels, specifically above the EPA action level of 4 picocuries per liter (PCI/L).

Lewis said the naturally occurring radioactive gas can get into your home from the ground.

“It’s easily able to move from the soil and the rocks below the foundation, into the foundation,” he said.

You can’t smell, taste, see, or feel radon.

“Out of sight, out of mind, we can’t see it,” said Lewis.

He said breathing high levels of radon into your lungs can lead to serious health problems.

“So, we’re breathing this radioactive gas into our lungs and that’s where it’s deposited and that’s where it can do potential damage. These radioactive particles basically get lodged on the epithelial lining of your lung, the surface of the lung, mostly in the upper tracheobronchial areas. And over long-term exposure, they can increase one’s risk of getting lung cancer,” Lewis said.

According to the EPA, radon is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year in the U.S., and radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.

Lewis said the first step to protect yourself and your family from the dangers is to buy an easy-to-use test kit at a hardware store or online. Then test your home and send the sample to a PA-certified lab. You can also hire a state-certified testing company.

“Get your test in the basement, and turn it back to the lab. You’ll get some test results after a week and a half or so,” he said.

If your test results are high, take action to reduce the levels in your home. You’ll need a certified radon mitigation contractor to install a radon reduction system.

“It’s an active system that uses some PVC pipe in the basement and it draws the air from underneath the basement floor to the outside and then dumps at the roof line. So basically, you have a vacuum cleaner underneath your house. Those systems work very well. They’re relatively low maintenance, about $1,000, generally speaking, for a system to be installed,” Lewis said.

The last step is to remember to monitor your mitigation system. According to the DEP, you should periodically check if the fan is running by looking at the U-tube manometer on the PVC piping of your system. The fluid levels on each side of the glass tube should be uneven.

Lewis said you should also do a radon test in the winter once every two years to make sure the mitigation system is still working properly.

While you have to pay for the system out of your own pocket, Lewis said taking radon dangers seriously is worth it in the end.

“It’s obviously a health benefit for you and your family. And it’s also a benefit when once you go then you go to sell the house too, at least if you’ve taken care of it,” he said.

You might not think about the dangers if you don’t own a house, but it’s recommended radon testing be done in rental homes, schools, and businesses too.

“We encourage, besides home, private homes, schools, and businesses to test as well. We’ve Been working with the Department of Education for quite a few years trying to get all the school districts to test,” Lewis said.

Call the DEP the Radon Hotline at 800-237-2366 for help with understanding test results and what action to take after getting back high results.

A list of state-certified radon contractors, labs, and testers is also available on DEP’s website.

The Allegheny County Health Department is providing more than 900 free radon test kits for residents. Pick up a test M-F between 8 AM and 4 PM at the Housing and Community Environment office (3190 Sassafras Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15201). One kit per household while supplies last so call ahead at 412-350-4046.

The American Lung Association is also offering free radon test kits. You can order them online.

Jessica Guay

Jessica Guay joined KDKA as a reporter in February 2021. Before joining KDKA, Jessica was a morning anchor and reporter at WJAC in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She was also an anchor and reporter at WCHS in Charleston, West Virginia, and at WTOV in Steubenville, Ohio.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball, Pick 2 Day results for Dec. 20, 2025

Published

5 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

The Pennsylvania Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

04-05-28-52-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Day: 2-2, Wild: 2

Evening: 5-3, Wild: 9

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Day: 2-0-0, Wild: 2

Evening: 4-6-7, Wild: 9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Day: 6-6-7-9, Wild: 2

Evening: 1-1-7-1, Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

Day: 9-9-1-2-6, Wild: 2

Evening: 8-1-9-3-5, Wild: 9

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

14-24-26-42-45, Cash Ball: 04

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

05-07-08-37-38

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Treasure Hunt numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

03-06-08-16-18

Check Treasure Hunt payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Match 6 Lotto numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

10-13-22-31-35-45

Check Match 6 Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Dec. 20 drawing

05-08-19-23-43, Powerball: 06

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Ensure your ticket has your signature, name, address and phone number on the back.
Prizes up to $600: Claim at any PA Lottery retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes from $600 to $2,500: Use a Claim Form to claim at a retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes over $2,500: Mail your signed ticket with a Claim Form or in person at a Lottery Area Office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Lottery Headquarters is currently not open to the public. Visit the PA Lottery website for other office locations near you.

When are the Pennsylvania Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: 1:35 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. daily.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. daily.
Treasure Hunt: 1:35 p.m. daily.
Match 6 Lotto: 6:59 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
Powerball Double Play: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Powerball lottery ticket wins $1 million as jackpot grows to $1.5 billion

Published

17 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Pennsylvania Powerball lottery ticket wins million as jackpot grows to .5 billion

article

FILE – Powerball logo displayed on a phone screen and coins are seen in this illustration photo.

PHILADELPHIA – A Powerball ticket sold in Pennsylvania matched five numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing, winning $1 million, according to lottery officials.

What we know:

The Pennsylvania ticket was one of several nationwide that matched all five white balls. The ticket did not include the Power Play multiplier.

Because no one matched all six numbers, the Powerball jackpot continues to climb. The next drawing will feature an estimated $1.5 billion jackpot, with a cash option of $689.3 million.

Winning numbers (Dec. 17, 2025)

25 – 33 – 53 – 62 – 66
Powerball: 17
Power Play: 4x

The Pennsylvania Lottery has not yet announced where the winning ticket was sold.

What’s next:

The next Powerball drawing takes place Saturday night, Dec. 20. The estimated jackpot is an astounding $1.5 billion.

The Source: This article is based on official Powerball drawing results.

LotteryPennsylvania

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Pennsylvania

More than $22 million in

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

More than $22 million in “Money Match” checks were mailed to nearly 100,000 Pennsylvanians, the treasury said.

In a news release on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Treasury said people should be on the lookout for the checks, which are part of the Pennsylvania Money Match program. Treasurer Stacy Garrity said to cash or deposit the checks “promptly.”

The first Pennsylvania Money Match checks, totaling more than $1.7 million, are now on the way to Pennsylvanians’ mailboxes. Pennsylvania Money Match is a new program that allows Treasury to return certain unclaimed property to rightful owners automatically, which was approved unanimously by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor last year.

“I want Pennsylvanians to know that this is a real check, it is real money, and it belongs to them,” Garrity said in the news release. “And as always, I still encourage everyone to regularly search for unclaimed property online, as many claims will not qualify for the Money Match process.”

With the mailing of the year’s last batch of checks, more than $50 million will have been returned automatically to Pennsylvanians.

What are Money Match checks?

The program allows the state treasury to automatically return unclaimed property valued up to $500 owned by a single individual. Before the program was created in 2024, residents themselves had to seek out unclaimed property.

“I’m thrilled to continue this program as we work hard to get more money back to its rightful owners,” Garrity said in the news release.

However, if the property has multiple owners or is valued higher than $500, Pennsylvanians still need to file a claim.

What is unclaimed property?

Unclaimed property includes dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten stocks, rebates and insurance policies, among other things. It can also include the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes.

According to the state treasury, more than one in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed some of the $5 billion in unclaimed property in the treasury’s care, and the average value of a claim is more than $1,000.