How To Ensure Accurate Results on a Home Radon Test

Radon gas is colorless, odorless, and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Elevated radon levels have been found and recorded in every state, so if you’re a homeowner, testing your home for radon is a good idea. When you do perform a home radon test, however, make sure your results are as accurate as possible so you can take the appropriate action. Learn more about test placement and other factors that can impact your results. Close Up Your Home Leaving your doors and windows open or even ajar can lead to inaccurately low radon test results. When you set up your home test kit, you want it to detect maximum radon levels in your home so you can prepare for a worst-case scenario. Before you open and set up the radon test, close all doors and windows in your home, locking them if necessary to keep drafts from creeping in. Place the Test Wisely Radon gas seeps into homes and buildings through their foundations. It logically follows that the highest levels of radon in your home will be on the lower level. However, radon experts agree that you should place the test kit in the lowest lived-in level of your home to get an idea of its impact on your household. If your basement or lower level is rarely occupied, place the test kit in a common space on the main floor instead. Consider the Temperature Think about the ventilation of your home and how it changes according to the seasons. In the summertime, you’re probably more likely to leave windows open or doors cracked, while winter encourages you to close up the home. The weather outside can impact your radon test results based on how much fresh air your home is likely to get. Because elevated radon levels are most dangerous in homes with little ventilation, mitigation experts recommend testing during the winter. If you’ve decided to test your home for radon, ensure accurate results by replicating the conditions most likely to cause radon buildup. Before you set up the test in your basement or lower-level living room, close your windows and read the test kit instructions closely for optimal results.