The Important Steps You Need to Take to Test Your Home for Radon

Radon is a dangerous, radioactive gas that can seep into your home without warning; radon is known as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It has no color or odor, so you can’t detect it on your own. That’s why testing for radon is essential. When it comes to radon gas testing, here are the major steps you need to take.

Short-term tests
The first step in radon gas testing is to get a short-term test done. Depending on the device, short-term tests typically last for two to seven days. To get the best results, you’re going to want to use the lowest part of your home where people spend time. This means that if you have a finished basement, use that space. If you can, you should keep your windows and exterior doors closed for 12 hours before the test as well as during this test. Once the test is done, send it into the lab so you can get the radon test results.

Long-term tests
If your home tests higher than the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L, you should get a long-term radon testing kit. The long-term test can tell you the concentration of radon in your home for more than 90 days. Radon levels can vary significantly from day to day due to drops in air pressure, gusty winds, changes in soil moisture, snow cover, and more, so a long-term test will give you more accurate results.

Get rid of radon
If your home is still testing at the EPA’s action level or higher, than it’s time to take the steps necessary to get rid of the radon. There are a few things you can do to get the radon out of your home. You can seal cracks in your foundation, vent crawl spaces, cover soil in the basement, and basically seal off any possible entrance the radon has. If your home has a sump pump, you can install a mitigation system to make the pump airtight. This will stop the radon from getting in while still giving you access to the pump.

Radon in your home can put the lives of you and your family in jeopardy, so it’s very important to regularly take advantage of radon gas testing. For more information, give us a call today.