Radon Home Testing Can Uncover A Radon Problem You Didn't Know Your Home Had
Since radon has no color or odor, you don't know if your home has a radon problem unless you have home testing done. You might want a test just for your own curiosity, but it's also a good time to test when you buy a new house, finish renovating an old house, and after you've installed a mitigation system to monitor it. Once you've had radon home testing, you may want to repeat the test every few years. Here are things to know about radon home testing.
Conditions Should Be Right For Testing
You'll want to schedule your radon testing for calm weather conditions since high winds could affect the outcome of the test and give false results. Since your home isn't completely sealed, strong winds could blow against your home and push radon out. That would result in a different test result than if you had radon testing done on a calm day.
Outdoor temperatures can affect the results too since your windows and doors are all likely shut when it's cold. Radon levels in your home may be higher in the winter and lower in the summer when air circulates through your house. You can have radon testing done any time of the year, but if you want the results to reflect the highest level you're exposed to, you may want radon home testing done in cold weather.
Different Types Of Radon Testing Are Available
A radon home testing professional will walk you through the different types of testing available so you choose the right one for your home and so you feel comfortable with the results. You can choose a short-term or long-term test.
The short-term test gives you a radon reading for a specific point in time. Since radon levels fluctuate, a long-term test that gives results over a period of several months will give you the most accurate reading for your long-term radon exposure.
However, when you need results right away to determine if your home needs protection against radon, or when you want to buy a house, you may prefer a short-term test for quick results.
Radon Levels Can Change Over Time
In addition to changing with the weather conditions, radon levels can change in your home for other reasons, such as construction work or changes in the soil around your home. For that reason, it's a good practice to have a home radon test repeated every few years, even if your initial test is clear.
If the first test revealed a radon problem and you had a mitigation system installed, then periodic testing is important for making sure the system is working properly. Radon home testing usually isn't something you do once and then forget about since you want to know if the radon gas levels in your home start rising. By testing for radon occasionally, you can catch a radon problem before you've been exposed to the gas for years.
Contact a radon home testing service for more information.