Northeast Ohio Radon Inspection and Radon Testing Information
Testing your home is the only way to know if radon levels are high. You and your family could be at risk for lung cancer from radon. A proper Radon Mitigation System can reduce your risk of Cancer.
When to Test Your Home for Radon?
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If it’s never been tested or radon levels are unknown
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When preparing to buy or sell
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Before and after any renovations, especially after making any repairs to reduce radon levels.
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Before making any lifestyle changes in the home that would cause someone to spend more time in the basement or lower level (like converting a basement to a bedroom)
Ways to Test Your Home for Radon Gases:
You can either hire a radon tester or purchase a radon test kit from a hardware store and do it yourself. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends hiring a qualified tester if you are buying or selling your home.
There are two general types of radon test kits:
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Short-term kits measure radon for 2–90 days for quick results.
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Long-term kits measure radon in your home for over 90 days and are more likely to tell you your home’s year-round average level. The longer the test, the better the results will reflect your home and lifestyle.
Do It Yourself Radon Testing Kits:
You can purchase a radon test kit online, in many retail or hardware stores, or order one through the National Radon Program Services.
Once you have your Radon Testing kit:
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Follow all instructions carefully. This will include placing a small measuring device in your basement or the lowest level of your home, raised three feet off the ground, in the middle of the room.
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If your home is in a multi-unit building, you can test your unit by placing the device in the lowest level within your unit.
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Leave it there for the amount of time instructed. Short-term testing can take 2–90 days and long-term testing takes more than 90 days. The exact length of time for testing depends on the specific test.
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Once the test is completed, follow the directions on the test kit packaging to find out where to send the device to get the results.
Understanding Results:
Radon is measured in units of picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. Radon is naturally found in outdoor air at very low levels and some radon will always be in your indoor air. According to EPA, the average radon level in American homes is about 1.3 pCi/L.
EPA recommends contacting a licensed professional to install a radon reduction system if your radon level is at or above 4 pCi/L of air. EPA also recommends taking action to reduce radon if your radon level is from 2 pCi/L through 4 pCi/L. There is no known safe level of radon so you should always aim to have the lowest radon levels to reduce the risk of lung cancer.
Our Radon Inspection, which differs from Radon Testing allows us to pinpoint the highest concentrations of Radon Gases and develop a Radon Mitigation Plan which is customized to your specific property.