How to Detect Radon in Your Home

Radon is a type of gas that can have devastating health effects on people who are exposed to it. Radon is a carcinogen and radioactive. It is estimated to cause thousands of cancer-related deaths each year, including approximately 21,000 deaths due to lung cancer, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Because of its potential health risks and lethal qualities, it is important that you take measures to detect any radon gas that might be present in your home.

• 1

  Close up your house for about 12 hours before testing for radon gas. Keep the house closed up and do not operate fans or central heating and air conditioning systems while testing.

• 2

  Use a short-term radon test kit to test detect radon gas in your home. Place it on the first floor of your home or the basement if it's used often. The kit needs to be at least 20 inches above the floor to work properly. Do not put it in your bathroom or kitchen.

• 3

  Let the test stay in place for as long as it recommends. This can be a few days or a few weeks. Once the time period is over, send the test kit to the lab the manufacturer recommends on the package. The lab will determine your radon level and send you the results. This can take a few weeks.

• 4

  Perform a long-term radon test if the results of your short-term test are greater than four picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), which indicates a potentially dangerous level of radon gas. A curie is a measure of radioactivity, and a picocurie is one trillionith of a curie. The long-term test kit is similar to the short-term test kit except you need to leave it in place longer.

• 5

  Send the results of your long-term radon test to the lab recommended by the manufacturer of the kit. If the results are still greater than four pCi/L, you should take steps to eliminate the high level of radon gas from your home.