Why Every Home and Business Needs a Radon Detector
What is radon?
Radon is a gas that has no color, odor, or taste. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and groundwater and gets into the air you breathe. Radon concentrations in outdoor air are usually low and not a concern. However, when radon enters an enclosed space like your home, it can build up to levels that pose a health risk. Any home can have radon, regardless of its age, location, or construction type. The only way to know if your home has radon is to test for it.
Where does radon come from?
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that can be found in rocks and soil.
The rocks and soil beneath our homes contain traces of uranium. Over time, the uranium breaks down and forms other elements. This is called radioactive decay. Radon is one element in the decay chain of uranium. When radon gas decays, it emits radiation in the form of an alpha particle.
Is radon gas dangerous?
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas present in small amounts in the air we breathe. Outdoors, radon disperses rapidly and, generally, is not a health issue.

Can radon be a problem in a home or business?
Yes, it can become a problem when it builds up in enclosed spaces like homes and buildings. When radon seeps through cracks in the foundation or entry points for pipes, it can affect air quality if it reach hazardous levels.
Another contributing factor in radon buildup is the fact that modern homes and buildings are often well insulated to save on energy bills. However, little airflow can allow radon to build up to high levels and cause long-term exposure.
In fact, most exposure to radon occurs inside homes, schools and workplaces.
Radon gas is widespread in the United States: on average, 1 of every 15 homes have radon levels that are higher than the recommended remedial action levels.
What are safe radon levels?
Radon is measured in units of picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. Radon is naturally found in outdoor air at very low levels and some radon will always be in your indoor air. According to EPA, the average radon level in American homes is about 1.3 pCi/L.
If testing shows a radon level below 2 pCi/L, no action is required. However, continuous monitoring is suggested as radon levels fluctuate. You should always aim to have the lowest radon levels to reduce the risk of lung cancer.
If the radon level is from 2 pCi/L through 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon.
The EPA recommends contacting a licensed professional to install a radon-reduction system if your radon level is at or above 4 pCi/L of air.
Can radon levels change?
Yes. Like most gasses, radon levels fluctuate daily. The amount of radon emitted from the ground and the amount that actually enters our homes can change for many reasons. It can be affected by natural sources such as cold weather, humidity, ice, rain, heavy winds, air pressure and shifting soil—even earthquakes.
External factors affecting radon levels are your home’s foundation, insulation, and the amount of ventilation in your home. Local construction may contribute to fluctuations as well.

Do radon levels in your home fluctuate with the time of year?
Yes. Radon levels may fluctuate during different times of the year. For example, they may be higher in the winter when houses are closed up and there is less ventilation.
Radon levels also fluctuate more in the winter due to the difference in temperature inside and outside of your home. If the outside temperature is drastically lower than the indoor temperature, then a vacuum is created within your home as the warm air indoors circulates. This vacuum pulls radon into your home at a faster than normal rate, resulting in elevated radon levels.
What are the health risks of exposure to radon?
In the air, radon breaks down into tiny radioactive elements that can lodge in the lining of the lungs, where they can give off radiation. This radiation can damage lung cells and eventually lead to lung cancer.
Here’s how it works: All our cells contain DNA, which acts as an instruction manual or blueprint for cells on how to create copies of themselves. When these tiny radioactive elements hit our DNA they can cause damage to a cell’s blueprint. Cells constantly replicate themselves, but with a broken blueprint the replication process can become cancerous.
In fact, radon is the number 1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
According to the EPA, radon is responsible for more than 21,000 deaths per year in the U.S. See the following chart to see how this statistic compares to other causes of death.

Are some people more sensitive to radon?
Yes, 1 in 30 persons is radon-sensitive. All children are sensitive. In fact, radon is 10x more dangerous for children, according to Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, the Canada Research Chair for Radiation Exposure Disease.
What are the symptoms of radon poisoning?
If you think you may have been exposed to high levels of radon, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. With prompt treatment, the symptoms of radon poisoning can be controlled and the risk of developing lung cancer can be significantly reduced.
Here are symptoms that may result from high levels of radon over an extended time:
- Persistent cough
- Hoarseness
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood
- Chest pain
- Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Fatigue

Why is radon more dangerous for children?
While radon is present in all homes, it can be particularly dangerous for children.
Children’s risk statistics
The risk of lung cancer in children resulting from exposure to radon may be almost twice as high as the risk in adults exposed to the same amount of radon. If children are also exposed to tobacco smoke, the risk of lung cancer is at least 20 times greater.
Children’s bodies are still developing.
Children’s organs are still developing. Their replicative tissue is more vulnerable to DNA damage. So exposure to radon can damage cells as they divide, which can lead to health problems later in life.
Children weigh less than adults.
This means they are exposed to a higher dose of radon per unit of body weight.
Children breathe more rapidly than adults.
They actually breathe 2-3 times faster than adults as their lungs are much smaller. Consequently, they take in more air (and radon) per minute.
Children spend more time indoors.
Radon levels are usually higher indoors than they are outdoors.
The radon risk at your children’s schools.
An EPA nationwide survey of radon levels in schools estimates that nearly one in five has at least one schoolroom with elevated radon levels. The agency estimates that more than 70,000 schoolrooms in use today have high short-term radon levels. This is why the EPA recommends testing all schools for radon.
Children have more life left than adults.
They have a longer time frame over which to experience the health effects of radon exposure. Since the effects of radiation take years to develop, individuals exposed to elevated levels of radon in their youth are more likely to develop radon-related illnesses later in life.
Other potential disease health risks
Another cause for concern is research suggesting that children who live in homes with high radon levels may have an increased risk of developing childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). While the risk factors associated with ALL are complex and the evidence is mixed, some analysts claim that children exposed to elevated levels of radon can have a higher risk of developing ALL than children exposed to lower levels.

How do you test for radon?
There are two ways to test for radon levels: passive and active monitors. Charcoal test kits, which you can buy at a hardware store or online, passively monitor levels of radon. These kits are placed in an area to be tested for a pre-determined period of time, anywhere from 48 hours to 3 months. The kits contain a canister with charcoal, an extremely absorbent material because it’s made from carbon, a reactive element. Radon gas will react with the charcoal, and once the test is completed, the canister is sent to a lab to analyze the results.
Charcoal test kits are vulnerable to user errors. Charcoal is a very active compound. Since it absorbs radon, it can absorb other things as well. Moisture wreaks havoc on charcoal kit test results. If a canister is not properly sealed, humidity can permeate the chamber where the charcoal is housed. When a can isn’t sealed well, it can continue absorbing other elements, which leads to inaccurate results.
In addition to improper sealing, other possible user errors include placing the canister in an incorrect location, leaving windows open during the test, or testing for too long or too short of a period of time.
When the test is complete, you send it off to a lab. However, nobody (like the EPA) truly oversees commercial radon testing labs. The 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act tasked the EPA with establishing proficiency at radon-related companies, with regard to testing. A decade later, however, this oversight ceased to exist.
Labs aren’t required to have any type of certification. If someone really wanted, he could open a radon laboratory business and never have to prove any knowledge or expertise.
So, as a rule, charcoal tests sent off to a lab are generally not reliable. Additionally, each test costs money.
Plus, since radon levels fluctuate constantly, continuous radon tests are necessary, each coming with its own cost.
The most logical solution is to buy one or more radon detectors and mount them in strategic places in your home. While no digital radon detector on the market is 100% accurate, most high-quality monitors are extremely accurate. They require only a one-time expenditure and the radon monitoring is continuous.

What are active radon testing devices?
Radon is found in all 50 states, and can only be detected by radon testing. Because radon is odorless and colorless, it’s impossible to know if your home or office is contaminated unless you have a radon detector.
These radon testing devices are used to measure the level of radon in a given area. They are very small and can be mounted on a wall or placed on a table.
Today’s most sophisticated radon detectors provide a customizable display that continually displays radon and air quality levels, such as humidity, temperature and pollen. They are wireless and connect to Wifi, so you can view your radon and air quality levels on your phone from anywhere. Batteries last 2-3 years.
These models typically have an app and online dashboard with graphs, notifications and insights. Some go a step further and allow you to plug into a hub with a USB cable which brings other air quality measuring devices online.
In addition to radon detection, some also monitor mold risk and airborne chemicals (VOCs) to help with asthma, allergies, sleep and overall health.
If radon testing devices show a high radon level, how do you reduce it?
The most common method is to have a vent pipe system and fan installed, which pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside. This entails drilling a hole through your home’s foundation into the soil, running a PVC pipe up through the fan, and to the outside of your house above the roof line.
I would suggest having this done by a licensed local radon mitigation company. They will come out and take a look at how your home is structured and give you a quote.
As with most home repairs, the cost of reducing radon in your home can vary widely, depending on how your home is built (whether you have a basement, crawlspace, or neither) and what kind of system you need.
It is also possible for radon to enter your home through your water supply, though this poses a much lower risk than when it comes through the soil. If you have a private well, you can have it tested for radon concentration. If the levels are high, you can have the water supply treated so that the radon is removed before it enters your home.

Radon detectors
So, what is the best radon detector? The best radon detectors are digital monitors because they produce the most accurate results. They are small and battery operated; some have smart features and can display dangerous levels of radon on your mobile phone.
Many of the best radon detectors not only measure the radon concentration in the air but also other air quality metrics such as humidity, mold and pollen.
Price and availability information is readily available online.
Conclusion
- Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have an elevated radon level which is 4 pCi/L or more.
- Though radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, 57% of Americans surveyed do not monitor radon in their homes.
- Since radon is a gas that has no color, odor, or taste, testing is the only way to determine radon levels.
- Radon levels constantly change; they must be continually monitored.
- Radon detectors are the best way to continuously monitor radon levels in your home or business.
- Digital radon detectors produce the most accurate readings.