Testing Options & Information:
You can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it may be a problem in your home. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing of all homes (below the third floor) for radon. Testing is easy and should only take a few minutes of your time.
The amount of radon in the air is measured in “picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).” Sometimes test results are expressed in “Working Levels (WL)” rather than picocuries per liter (pCi/L).
Testing Options:
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Real Estate Transactions:
For radon results that will be used in a real estate transaction, two tests must be performed. The air test must consist of two side-by-side test kits and the water test must have two samples. This redundancy will confirm the results. Testing for homeowners (no real estate transaction) does not require two tests, but if a test fails, a repeat test should be performed to confirm the results.
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How To Use a Radon (in Air) Test Kit:
Follow the instructions that come with your test kit. If you are doing a short-term test (2-3 day test), close all exterior windows and doors, 12 hours before you begin the test and keep them closed as much as possible during the full length of the test. (You should not conduct short-term tests during unusually severe storms or periods of unusually high winds.) The test kit should be placed in the lowest lived-in level of the home (for example, the basement if it is frequently used, otherwise the first floor). It should be put in a room that is used regularly (like a living room, playroom, den or bedroom) but not your kitchen or bathroom. Place the kit at least 20 inches above the floor in a location where it won’t be disturbed – away from drafts, high heat, high humidity, and exterior walls. Leave the kit in place for at least 48 hours. Once you’ve finished the test, reseal the package and send it to the lab specified on the package right away for study.Order a test kit now !
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How To Use a Radon (in Water) Test Kit:
Follow the instructions that come with your test kit. Use the bathtub or a hose faucet. Turn on the cold water and let it run for 10 minutes or until the water gets very cold. It is important to flush out all the water that has been stored in the pipes, storage tank and well. Fill a bucket with water taking care to minimize any turbulence (put the faucet against the side of the bucket). Open the test vile and submerge the vile and the cap into the bucket. Make sure all the air is out of the vile and cap. While under water, screw the cap back on the vile. Remove the vile from the bucket and confirm that there are no air bubbles in the vile. Reseal the package and send it to the lab specified on the package right away for study.
Check with your State Radon Office for the acceptable Radon in Water limits
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What Your Test results Mean:
Radon air: If your air test result is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, fix your home. For more information read the EPA’s Consumer’s Guide To Radon Reduction.
Radon Water:
Well owners with elevated indoor radon air levels should test their well water for radon. Radon in your water supply can increase your indoor radon air level, although, in most cases, radon entering the home through water will be a small source of risk compared with radon entering from the soil. The EPA estimates that indoor radon air levels will increase by about 1 pCi/L for every 10,000 pCi/L of radon in water. You can find publications and documents developed by the EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water relating to radon in drinking water and the radon in drinking water rule at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/radon.html.
You can estimate how muchthe radon in your water is elevating your indoor radon air level by subtracting 1 pCi/L from your indoor air radon level for every 10,000 pCi/L of radon that was found in your water. (For example: if you have 30,000 pCi/L of radon in your water, then 3 pCi/L of your indoor radon air measurement may have come from radon in water.) If most of the radon is not coming from your water, fix your house first (before fixing your well) and then retest your indoor air to make sure that the source of elevated radon was not your private well. If a large contribution of the radon in your house is from your water, you may want to consider installing a special water treatment system to remove radon.
The EPA recommends installing a water treatment system only when there is a proven radon problem in your water supply.