Free radon test kits offered at awareness presentations

Area residents are encouraged to test their homes for radon and attend awareness presentations offered by the Clark County Cooperative Extension throughout January.

Most people associate lung cancer with smoking, but the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers is radon. Although smokers have a higher risk of radon-induced lung cancer than nonsmokers, about 21,000 people die each year in the U.S. of lung cancer caused by indoor radon exposure.

Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium in soil and enters homes through foundation cracks, openings and some of the porous materials used to construct foundations and floors of homes. It is an odorless, colorless, invisible gas that can reach harmful levels when trapped indoors. Radon can enter any home, old or new. Two neighboring homes can have different radon levels. The only way to know what the radon levels are inside your home is to measure them.

"Winter is the ideal time to test your home for radon," said Laura Au-Yeung, Southern Area Radon Program coordinator, "as most of us keep our homes closed up during cold weather."

Radon presentations are scheduled:

Jan. 5, 2 p.m. at Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road

Jan. 8, 11 a.m. at Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd.

Jan. 12, noon at Boulder City Library, 701 Adams Blvd.

Jan. 15, 4 p.m. at Sunrise Library, 5400 Harris Ave.

Jan. 19, 10:30 a.m. at Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane

At the end of each presentation attendees will receive a free radon test kit.

For more information, call Au-Yeung at 702-257-5550, email her at au-yeungl@unce.unr.edu or visit the Radon website at www.RadonNV.com.