National Radon Awareness Week 2011 is October 17 - 24. The reason you should care is that radon, a naturally occuring radioactive gas that comes from decaying uranium, occurs throughout Washoe County and northern Nevada. It is the leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking.
With winter coming on, we will be closing up our homes and places of business, raising the potential danger from radon. Chances are you have some level of radon seeping into your house - Reno / Tahoe is one of those places with higher than average radon levels. Smokers are obviously at high risk if they live in a radon-rich environment. With their smaller lungs and higher breathing rates, children are especially susceptible as well.
Because radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, you must test to find out if radon is lurking in your home. Free radon test kits are available from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension for residents of Washoe, Douglas, Carson City, Clark, Nye, and Lincoln Counties. Should your home prove to have elevated radon levels, there are a variety of mitigation measures you can take to eliminate the hazard. Getting rid of radon isn't free, but it's a bargain compared to lung cancer.
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