University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Radon Education Program is offering free short-term radon test kits to Nevadans through Feb. 28. Radon test kits are available at Extension offices and partnering locations statewide.

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It comes from the ground and can accumulate in homes, raising the risk of lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates 21,000 Americans die each year from radon-caused lung cancer, killing more people than secondhand smoke, drunk driving and house fires.

In Nevada, one in four homes tested show radon concentrations at or above the EPA action level. According to experts, living in a home with radon concentrations at the action level poses a similar risk of developing lung cancer as smoking about half a pack of cigarettes a day.

The risk of radon-caused lung cancer can be reduced. A simple three-day test can determine if a house has a radon problem, and winter is an ideal time to test a home for radon. If radon problems are found, they can be fixed. 

Free test kits are available through Feb. 28 at the following northern Nevada partner locations:

• Genoa Town Office, 2289 Main St., Genoa, 775-782-8696.
• Indian Hills General Improvement District, 3394 James Lee Park Road, #A, Carson City, 775-267-2805.
• West Wendover City Hall, 1111 N. Gene L. Jones Way, West Wendover, 775-664-3081.
• Fernley City Hall, 595 Silver Lace Blvd., Fernley, 775-784-9930.
• Incline Village Recreation Center, 980 Incline Way, Incline Village, 775-832-1300.
• Round Mountain Town Hall, 100 Hadley Circle, Round Mountain, 775-377-2508.
• Storey County Senior Center, 100 Mill St., Virginia City, 775-847-0957.
• Lockwood Senior/Community Center, 800 Peri Ranch Road, Lockwood, 775-342-2840.

Extension offices at the following locations. Please call ahead for an appointment:

• Battle Mountain, 815 N. Second St., 775-635-5565.
• Carson City, 2621 Northgate Lane, Suite 15, 775-887-2252.
• Elko, 701 Walnut St., 775-738-7291.
• Ely, 995 Campton St., 775-293-6599.
• Eureka, 701 S. Main St., 775-237-5326.
• Fallon, 111 Sheckler Road, 775-423-5121.
• Gardnerville, 1325 Waterloo Lane, 775-782-9960.
• Hawthorne, 205 S. A St., 775-945-3444.
• Lovelock, 810 Sixth St., 775-273-2923.
• Tonopah, #1 Frankie St. Old Courthouse, 775-482-6794.
• Reno, 4955 Energy Way, 888-723-6610.
• Winnemucca, 1085 Fairgrounds Road, 775-623-6304.
• Yerington, 504 S. Main St., 775-463-6541.

In southern Nevada, free test kits are available through Feb. 28 at the following locations. Please call ahead for an appointment:

• Henderson City Hall City Clerk’s Office, 240 S. Water St., Henderson, open as usual.
• D. Guy Knowledge Center, 817 N St., Las Vegas, 702-998-0223.

Extension offices at the following locations:

• Caliente, 360 Lincoln St., 775-726-3109.
• Las Vegas, 8050 Paradise Road, Suite 100, 702-222-3130.
• Logandale, 1897 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., 702-397-2604.
• Mesquite, 155 N. Willow St., 702-346-7215.
• Pahrump, 1651 E. Calvada Blvd., 775-727-5532.

A list of test kit locations can be found on the Radon website.

Nevadans can also request a free test kit online or by mailing in the confirmation email from the Radon Test Kit Request along with a $5 check or money order to Board of Regents. All mailed test kits require $5 for shipping, and ordering through Eventbrite will also incur a small online handling fee.

For more information, call the Radon Hotline at 1-888-RADON10 (1-888-723-6610) or visit the Nevada Radon Education Program website. Extension, the EPA and the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health urge all Nevadans to test their homes for radon.

The Nevada Radon Education Program is a program of University of Nevada, Reno Extension and is funded by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health through Grant Number K1-96963520-1 from the EPA. Since the program began in 2007, about 31,900 homes have been tested in Nevada.