“Radon” might sound like the name of a robot in a 1950s sci-fi film, but in reality it’s far less entertaining: It’s a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that seeps from the ground; harmless outdoors, it becomes deadly when it gets into your home and forms pockets. According to the Nevada Radon Education Program, it’s the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers.
Testing, Testing
According to a Las Vegas Sun story this week, Nevada is one of 17 states in which no state or municipal government has building codes that require radon mitigation. The gas isn’t hard to test for, and “nearly 41,000 (radon) tests have been conducted statewide, and 7,961 have come back with elevated levels of radon.”
Landlords are required to test for radon, but, as the Sun points out, homesellers are reluctant to test, since they’d have to pay to fix the problem if radon is found.
Free Test
Through Feb. 29, you can pick up a free radon test from the UNR Extension program, which has several offices around the valley.
Quick note: If your house tests positive, it will require a professional fix, likely to cost upwards of $5,000, according to the Sun — considerably more than in Northern Nevada, as there are no certified mitigation companies down here.
