The Surgeon General and EPA recommend that every home be tested for radon. Affordable and easy to do, radon testing can be done by a professional or homeowner. Short-term tests can be as brief as 2-days. Radon levels fluctuate day-to-day and season-to season. Therefore, long-term testing provides a more accurate exposure average. Radon test kits can be purchased at most hardware stores and cost $15-$35. Follow the directions carefully. Professional measuring typically costs $125-$195.

The EPA suggests that everyone in the country should test their home for radon, and that people with living-area concentrations over 4 pCi/L should remediate. The LBNL high-radon project doesn't have an official position, but we do have thoughts on the subject. However, Dr. Price and his colleagues have done some thinking about this issue, and in fact you can get recommendations tailored to your own home at http://www.stat.columbia.edu/radon/

It's easy. You can either do it yourself or hire a home measurement service. If you do it yourself, test kits can be purchased at retail outlets or directly from laboratories providing radon measurement services. Follow the instructions that come with your test kit. The test kit should be placed in the lowest lived-in space in your home (the basement if it is frequently occupied, otherwise the first floor). You should place the kit at least 20 inches above the floor and away from exterior walls.

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.

You can test for radon with an EPA-listed kit or by hiring an EPA-listed contractor to test you home for you. You can contact the Radon information center for a kit at 1-888-LOW RADON. If available, kits are free to persons within the county consortium. The kits distributed by the consortium are simple, easy to use, and come with full instructions. Test kits will allow homeowners to get a picture as to what their short term levels of radon in air are. ^ back to top

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 radon tests at your local hardware store or home center. The average retail price runs form $20 to $30 and may require additional fees for analysis.

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.

There are home collection kits that allow you to take your own blood sample and send it in to be anonymously tested. The only test approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for home collection is Home Access. You can purchase this test in most drug stores, but it is also available for purchase online at http://www.homeaccess.com, or by calling 1-800-CONFIDE (1-800-266-3433).

Testing is the only way to know if you are at risk. Radon gas is invisible and odorless. Both long- and short-term testing devises are available. A homeowner should consult a radon professional to determine what type of test is best suited for his situation.

The only way to know is to have your home tested. Radon detection kits are inexpensive and easy to use. You can purchase a kit at your local hardware store or other retail outlet, the local office of the American Lung Association ($20 per kit containing 2 tests) or we have a form to order a kit (single test) costing $6.25 from the New York State Department of Health (or you can call them at 1-800-458-1158).

Radon levels will change when you open a window especially if the window is in the same area as the test kit. In general however the window or multiple windows have to be wide open in the test area to make a big change (cut radon levels in half). If the radon levels are just above the guideline they can however be reduced below the guideline by opening windows. Opening windows on floors above the area being tested can cause the radon levels to go either higher or lower.

Because radon is a gas, it can leak into your house through the basement or crawl space –via adjacent or exposed soil and rock- or through well water. In a small number of homes, the building materials can give off radon. Radon enters homes through dirt floors, cracks in concrete walls and floors, floor drains, and sumps. When radon becomes trapped in buildings and concentrations build up indoors, exposure to radon becomes a concern.

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.