Congratulations! You tested your house for radon and were told mitigation wasn't necessary. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that you never have to re-test your home for radon. Let's dive into radon levels and go over recommendations on how often to test your home for radon.
Recommended Action Levels For Radon Mitigation
After testing your home you will get a number, measured in picoCuries per Liter or pCi/L, which will determine if you need to mitigate your home or not.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have set a recommended action level of 4. Meaning if your number comes back a 4 pCi/L or higher, they recommend taking immediate action to remove the radon from your home. This is generally done by installing a radon mitigation system.
The World Health Organization (WHO) actually recommends action at 2.7 pCi/L. So how do you decide if you need mitigation? General rule of thumb - if your number is above 4, install a system. If your number is between 2.7 and 4, you should highly consider installing a system. If below, you don't have to worry about it right now. However, if you choose not to install a system now, make sure you retest your home for radon.
When to Retest Your Home For Radon
If your radon measurement fell between 2.7 and 4 pCi/L and you chose not to install a system at this time, you should consider retesting your home in 6 months time in a different season. This is because radon levels tend to fluctuate due to temperature and air pressure. A 2.7 in summer may easily be over 4 in the winter.
However, if your radon measurement came back below 2.7 then it is recommended that you retest again in 2 years time, in a different season. When asked why you have to retest, it's quite simple. Soil continues to age along with the home. More radon may be produced as time goes on. Testing again is worth peace of mind for your family.
Fill out the form on this page to request a free test for your home.