Radon Testing

Testing is the only way to find out if you have a radon problem. Homeowners can test their homes using inexpensive and easy to use test kits, or by hiring a Certified Tester to measure the radon concentration in their home. When testing for a real estate transaction, a Certified Tester should be used.

How Radon Is Measured

Radon levels are measured in picocuries (“pee-co-cure-ees”) per liter of air, often noted as pCi/L. This measurement describes how much radioactivity from radon is in one liter of the air found in a home.

• The EPA Action Level
  EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General strongly recommend that you fix your home if you have 4 pCi/L or more of radon in your home.

  There is no known safe level of exposure to radon since lung cancer can result from low exposures to radon. Exposure to radon at the EPA Action Level of 4 pCi/L poses a significant health risk. EPA based the 4 pCi/L Action Level on four factors: the health risk involved; the effectiveness of available mitigation technologies; cost-effectiveness; and, the goal set by Congress to reduce indoor radon levels to as close to the outdoor level as possible. EPA’s estimate of radon-related lung cancer deaths is based on the population of the U.S. exposed to the national average indoor radon concentration of 1.3 pCi/L over a lifetime. Existing mitigation technologies allow the radon level in most homes to be reduced to 2 pCi/L or less most of the time.

  Additional EPA recommendation: To help minimize your future risk, you should also seriously consider taking action to fix your home if your radon level is between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L.