Anyone can use a "do-it-yourself" test kit to check their building. The one-use kits are simple to use and are relatively inexpensive. The National Safety Council's Radon Hotline (800-767-7236) makes these test kits available at a low cost to encourage testing. After being exposed to the building air for a product-specified time period, the kits must be returned to an analytic laboratory. Radon test kits sometimes are available in hardware stores and other retail outlets.

Most indoor radon comes into the building from the soil or rock beneath it. Radon and other gases rise through the soil and get trapped under the building. The trapped gases build up pressure. Air pressure inside homes is usually lower than the pressure in the soil. Therefore, the higher pressure under the building forces gases though floors and walls and into the building. Most of the gas moves through cracks and other openings. Once inside, the radon can become trapped and concentrated.

Radon is widely believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer. Therefore, EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing for radon in all homes below the third floor. Radon has been found in homes all over the United States. Any home can have a radon problem. On average, one out of every fifteen U.S. homes have a problem. The only way to know whether or not your home has a radon problem is to test for it.

The only way to determine the level is to test. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. A map of radon zones has been created to help national, state, and local organizations to target their resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes. However, the map is not intended to be used for determining if a home in a given zone should be tested for radon. Homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in all three zones.

Yes. Radon can enter your building from a number of different entry points. If your building is built on a slab on grade type construction then you run a greater risk of more direct exposure to radon in the living area. Currently, the EPA and IDNS require that testing be conducted on each different foundation type inherent with a building. For example; a split-level house with a basement, crawl space, and slab on grade would require testing in three locations.

The test should be conducted in the lowest livable level of the house which is usually the basement. The test kit should be placed at least two feet above the floor. All windows and outside doors on the level you are testing should be closed during the test. All windows and outside doors should be closed 12 hours prior to and during the test period.

The only way to learn of the presence of radon is to use an instrument or device that is designed to measure or detect it. (See the DNS Guide to Home Environment Radon Measurements; or if you are in a real estate transaction, see the DNS Radon Testing Guidelines for Real Estate Transactions.)

The fastest way to test for radon would be to call in a local professional home inspector who offers a radon testing service. The cost to have a professional conduct your radon test may run as high as $300.00, according what part of the country your are in. However, if you choose to conduct the radon test yourself, you may be able to find a do-it-yourself test kit at your local hardware store or home center.

If only one radon test was done in your home it is generally recommended to make a second measurement before deciding on mitigation. Radon tests are easy and inexpensive. You can purchase test kits from these two suppliers. If the home is in the midst of a real estate transaction then it is usually necessary to have a professional independent tester make the second measurement. You can, however, always test your own home. Note that a buyer may not accept test results made by a seller.

It is not difficult to do your own radon test. You can always test your own home even if it is involved in a real estate transaction. A new buyer, however, may only feel comfortable with a radon test done by a certified independent radon tester.

Radon is a radioactive gas. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and chemically inert. Unless you test for it, there is no way of telling how much is present. Radon is formed by the natural radioactive decay of uranium in rock, soil, and water. Naturally existing, low levels of uranium occur widely in Earth's crust. It can be found in all 50 states. Once produced, radon moves through the ground to the air above.

It is not a requirement of law that all homes be tested. When buying a home, people often have radon levels measured as part of the home inspection process to protect family health and simplify future resale.

There is no state or local law in Arizona that requires radon testing at the time of resale. However, the EPA and the US Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested; and a radon test can be easily done as part of a home inspection process.

Generally speaking, no. Such tests are very expensive and do not correlate well with radon measurements performed after the house is completed and functioning. What you can do, is tell your architect (or builder) that you want a passive radon reduction system designed into your house plan. It's better to include the system in the original design, but a system can be retrofitted into an existing house plan just as one can be retrofitted into an existing structure.

The higher the initial short-term result, the more certain the homeowner can be to conduct a short-term rather than a long-term follow-up test. If the first short-term test result is several times the action level - for example, about 10 pCi/L or higher - a second short-term test should be taken immediately. If the homeowner followed up with a second short-term test: the higher the short-term results, the more certain the homeowner can be that the home should be fixed.

Providing "closed house conditions" during short-term tests means that all windows are kept closed, and doors are kept closed except for normal entry and exit. Heating and air conditioning units can be operated as long as they do not introduce outside air. Exhaust or attic fans should not be used. These conditions should be maintained for twelve hours prior to initiation of the test, then throughout the remainder of the test.