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Radon Testing

There are two different types of tests:

• Short-term (Charcoal Canister)
• Long-term (Alpha-Trak Detector)

The short term test is usually conducted over 2-7 days. It is the fastest way to find out if radon is a potential problem in your home. The charcoal canister should only be used in the cooler months of the year, with the doors and windows closed. This is because, the increased difference in indoor / outdoor air pressure will give a more accurate reading. It should be placed in the lowest livable area of the home starting with the basement.

The long term test is usually conducted over a 3-12 month period, but may be limited to a 30 day window. It gives a more accurate reading of radon levels in your home.

If the homeowner has not already conducted a short-term test, the alpha track detector should be placed in the lowest livable area or potentially livable area. (A crawl space is not a potentially livable area; a basement, even if not used, is a potentially livable area.)

If a short-term test has already revealed the presence of radon in the home, a follow-up test should be performed in the two lowest lived-in areas of the home(not the kitchen), and a second-floor bedroom (if applicable). The results of all three tests should be averaged together. If it is not economical to conduct three follow-up tests, at least one should be performed.