Radon test field manual · source-linked
How to test for radon at home
Choose the test, preserve the conditions, and keep a record that still makes sense when the result arrives.
Direct answer
Define why you are testing, choose a device that fits that decision, place it on the lowest regularly occupied level, follow its exact timing and condition instructions, then preserve the procedure record with the result.
Reviewed September 5, 2026. United States federal guidance. The device instructions, laboratory directions, transaction protocol, and applicable state requirements take precedence.
Direct Answer
How do you test a home for radon?
Define why you are testing, choose a device that fits that decision, use the lowest regularly occupied level, follow the device's exact placement and timing instructions, and keep the procedure record with the result.
| Evidence | Value |
|---|---|
| Short-term | 2 to 90 days; device instructions set the exact window |
| Long-term | More than 90 days |
| Placement | Lowest regularly occupied level plus device instructions |
| Record | Purpose, device, location, timestamps, conditions, and incidents |
Start with the decision
One test does not serve every context
Routine screening
Choose between a faster short-term answer and a longer measurement that better represents variation over time.
Home transaction
Use the applicable transaction protocol. Timing, closed-house conditions, tamper controls, and who performs the test can matter.
After mitigation
Verify the installed system with an indoor measurement and retain the post-mitigation report with the system record.
Five-step workflow
Run a test someone else can review
- 01
Choose the time horizon
CDC defines short-term tests as 2–90 days and long-term tests as more than 90 days. The exact allowed exposure still comes from the selected device. A continuous monitor is not automatically the right answer merely because it displays more readings.
Compare duration and total turnaround → - 02
Place the device deliberately
Use the lowest level people occupy regularly and select a normal living area. Avoid improvising universal height or clearance numbers: record the kit or monitor model and follow its supplied instructions.
Choose the floor, room, and position → - 03
Preserve the required conditions
Record windows, exterior doors, outdoor-air equipment, HVAC state, weather, and occupancy when the protocol makes them relevant. EPA's 12-hour closed-house rule cited here belongs to short real-estate testing; it is not a substitute for every device's instructions.
Review closed-house conditions → - 04
Record exact time and incidents
Keep start and stop timestamps, not just dates. Note movement, covering, unplugging, a power outage, an opened window, severe weather, or any other event without trying to erase the uncertainty.
Check the procedure record → - 05
Close, return, and interpret in order
Seal and return a passive kit by the laboratory deadline, or save the monitor/tester report. Review test type, duration, placement, and conditions before treating the number as a complete decision.
Review a radon test result →
Interactive record
Do not reconstruct the test from memory
The planner records device, purpose, timestamps, placement, conditions, and incidents, then shows which facts need verification against published rules.
Resolve one problem at a time
Testing procedure library
Primary guidance
Sources used for this workflow
Editorial and Data Transparency
- Author
- RadonVerdict (Independent public-data software project)
- Evidence Review
- Official and primary sources cited below
- Data Retrieved At
- Source-level dates below
Primary Sources
- EPA A Citizen's Guide to Radon (retrieved 2026-05-05)
- CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking - Radon Testing (retrieved 2026-05-05)