Although radon levels are high in Wayne, this is not specific to our town or county.

 
High levels of the gas have been found in most of Nebraska.

 
It is important to keep track of radon levels because it can possibly lead to lung cancer. The EPA and Surgeon General’s Office have found that radon has caused up to 21,000 lung-cancer deaths a year, making it the second leading cause of this cancer.

 
“I have owned 2 homes in Wayne the last 10 years and have had both mitigated to appropriate levels,” Wes Blecke, Executive Director of Wayne Area Economic Development, Inc., said.

 
Radon is a radioactive gas that is invisible as well as odorless and tasteless, causing no immediate effects or concerns. Radon belongs to the noble gasses and is number 86 on the periodic table.

 
The Department of Health and Human Services made a map of the average radon concentration by county using the Nebraska program data made available in 2013. This data showed that Wayne was one of the many counties in Nebraska with radon levels at or above 4.0 pCi/L (picoCuries per liter).

 
An amount of 4.0 pCi/L or higher is the number at which the EPA recommend steps should be taken to reduce exposure level.

 
According to the EPA, these are some ways that radon can enter a structure: cracks in solid floors, construction joints, cracks in walls, gaps in suspended floors, gaps around service pipes, cavities inside walls or the water supply.

 
There are two ways to detect radon, either by using long or short term tests. It is possible to administer the test in person, or the EPA recommends contacting a tester through the state radon office.

 
For the short-term tests, a device is placed in the questioned area for anywhere between two to ninety days.

 
For long-term tests, the device is placed in the test area for more than ninety days.

 
The EPA has established the following steps:

 
Step 1. Take a short-term test. If your result is 4.0 pCi/L or higher take a follow-up test (step 2) to be sure.

 
Step 2. Follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test.

 
For a better understanding of your year-round average radon level, take a long-term test. If you need quick results, take a second short-term test.

 
Step 3. If you follow up with a long-term test: Fix your home if your long-term test result is 4.0 pCi/L or more. If you follow up with a second short-term test: The higher your short term results, the more certain you can be that you should fix your home.