Where to Get a Radon Test Kit
If you have decided to test for radon yourself, you will need to purchase a test kit. Test kits
can sometimes be found at local hardware stores or home improvement centers. They can also be found
on the Internet. The particular brand of test doesn't matter, but be certain that the kit you buy
is certified or approved by the EPA. Johnson County Environmental Department
no longer sells radon testing
kits.
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Short-Term or Long-Term?
Both the short-term and the long-term test kits are equally valid, as long as the package states
it is certified or approved by the EPA.
The short-term test takes from 3-7 days, while the long-term takes 3 months to one year. Most
people start with the short-term, especially in real estate transactions where time is an issue.
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| Long-term kit |
Short-term kit |
The difference between the two is the short-term give you a "snapshot" of your exposure for the
short time of the test. The long-term gives you an average of radon exposure over a longer period
of time.
An analogy is the batting average of a major league baseball player. For a three game series
(short-term), a player on a hot streak might be hitting .500 for a few games and a player in a
slump might be hitting .125. His season-long (long_term) batting average will be much different,
possibly from .250 to .300, giving you a better idea of what type of hitter he actually is.
EPA testing protocols recommends the following routine:
- Start with the short-term test
- Check the results
- If the results are above the "action level" of 4 piroCuries per liter
(4 pCi/L) of air but below 10 pCi/L, test again using the long-term kit.
- If results are above 10 pCi/L, use another short-term test and average the two results
together
- If time is an issue, such as in a real estate transaction, test with one short-term kit
and then test again with another; average the results.
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