Want healthier indoor air? Test your home for radon gas

Get a long-term radon detector or electronic monitor that’s been approved or reviewed by a professional Canadian organization such as the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) or the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP).

A long-term detector is relatively inexpensive and very easy to deploy. You simply open the package and let the detector sit in your home for a full three months (91 days or longer). After 91 days, you mail the detector to the lab for analysis.

We recommend these options if you’re interested in a long-term detector.

• Order a detector test kit from BC Lung Foundation. The Radtrak3 Alpha Track Detector is sold for $49.99 and includes shipping to your door and lab analysis.
• Order a do-it-yourself radon detector test kit from one of the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) list of recommended do-it-yourself radon test kit suppliers, or Take Action on Radon’s list of companies. Prices vary.
• Order a radon detector test kit from Evict Radon and participate in Canada’s national research study.

A continuous electronic monitor operates on batteries or plugs in. While they’re more expensive, you get continuous, average readings 24/7 on a display or via a mobile app. You can also reuse them to test different locations around your house, test different buildings and even lend one to your friends and family.

Consult this comparison report published by the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP) to find a monitor that has passed the C-NRPP’s performance test.

You can also borrow a continuous electronic radon monitor through the BC Lung radon library lending program. Note that you can borrow a monitor for up to four weeks only, which is less than the recommended 91 days. We suggest you follow up with a longer-term test.

Here are some general guidelines for testing.

• Place the detector or monitor in the lowest level of your home where you might spend on average four or more hours per day, for example, a spare bedroom in the basement.
• Leave the detector or monitor in the same spot for the entire test period and for at least 91 days. Electronic monitors can provide data in as little as two weeks, but longer-term (91 days or more) testing is recommended.
• Test during the winter (November to March) when radon levels are likely to be higher.

Read Health Canada’s dos and don’ts for long-term detector testing

There are quick and cost-effective methods to lowering radon levels in your home, and longer-term actions you can take.

In the short term, you can:

• Limit time spent in basements (radon comes from the ground, is heavier than air, settles in lower levels, but also makes its way throughout the home)
• Open windows on your main floor to increase air flow
• Increase air flow using your heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) system
• Sleep on the main or upper floor of your home

Longer term, you can:

• Seal cracks in your basement
• Seal dirt crawlspace floors with a skim coat of concrete or sheets of poly (vapour barrier)
• Seal openings in the concrete floor of your basement or crawlspace, such as around sump pits, pipes and conduits
• Understand that even the best sealing will not stop all the radon; you must still test after sealing
• Install a low wattage radon fan to capture the air below the foundation and redirect it outside. Also known as an active soil depressurization (ASD) system, this can be simple if your home was constructed with radon rough-in works

A certified radon mitigation professional can assess your home, conduct tests and make recommendations for mitigation.

A Homeowner's Guide to Radon (Canadian Real Estate Association)

I live in a newly built or newer home. Do I need to test for radon?

The short answer is yes.

Even well-constructed homes with a vapour barrier below the foundation slab, thick concrete and sealed joints can have high radon levels.

Since 2012, builders in regions of B.C. where radon prevalence is high have been required to install radon rough-in works when they construct a home foundation. In late 2014, the B.C. Building Code changed such that rough-in works had to be extended outdoors so that it was easier for homeowners to add a booster fan.

Today, all buildings across the province occupied more than four hours per day are required to have rough-in works.

Rough-ins, however, don’t mitigate radon: they provide the infrastructure to activate a mitigation system. Once you do a long-term test (91+ days) for radon, you’ll know if the rough-in needs to be boosted with a fan, which is not required as part of the rough-in works.

You should also re-test for radon if you undertake significant renovations, such as changing HVAC equipment, installing new windows, adding weather stripping or insulation, or finishing a basement.

In general, testing every five years is recommended, and every two years if you’ve installed a mitigation system to make sure it’s still protecting your home. 

Learn more about radon gas, its health hazards, and how to lower your exposure on our radon gas page.

BC Lung Foundation hosts annual radon webinars. Learn about new research, case studies and community action. Everyone is welcome.

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