Radon Kits Available January 2nd

For immediate release

December 27, 2013

Contact: Matt Punelli – matt@elvphd.org

Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department

(402) 529-2233

Did you know that exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer?  Is your house safe?  Now is the time to check.   January is National Radon Action Month and the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department is partnering with the UNL Extension offices in Madison, Stanton, Burt and Cuming Counties to provide free, single radon test kits to County residents during the month of January. A limited number of kits will be available beginning on January 2nd.  To obtain your free kit, visit the following offices:

• Stanton County UNL Extension – 302 6^th  St., Stanton or call 402-439-2231
• Madison County UNL Extension – Lifelong Learning Center or call 402-370-4040
• Cuming County UNL Extension – 200 S. Lincoln St., West Point or call 402-372-6006
• Burt County UNL Extension – 111 N. 13^th  St., Ste. 6, Tekamah or call 402-374-2929
• Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department – 2104 21^st Circle, Wisner or call 402-529-2233

Radon is an invisible and odorless gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock and can enter your home through holes and cracks in the basement floor, walls or from well water.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that homes with radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air or more be mitigated.  Past testing has shown that the average radon levels in Burt, Madison, Stanton and Cuming Counties ranges from 7.5 to 10.4 pCi/L.  Knowing your home’s radon level is important because installation of a mitigation system may correct your home’s level.  Also, it is important for those building new homes to be informed about radon resistant construction techniques.

Testing is simple and the winter months are the best time to test your home for radon. Your test kit will hang centrally in a room within the lowest level of your home. It should be within the normal breathing zone (2 to 6 feet from the floor). When the three day testing period is over simply seal the kit within the package provided and ship to the lab for analysis.

For more information about radon or the free testing kits, please contact Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department at 402-529-2233.  Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department was created in 2002 to serve the citizens of Madison, Stanton, Burt and Cuming counties.  Located in Wisner, with a satellite office in Norfolk, the focus is healthy lifestyle management and disease prevention with over 20 programs initiated to maximize wellness and safety.  Visit www.elvphd.org to learn more about the available programs.