Setting up an Alpha Track type radon test kit
Please note: Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the test kit you have purchased. The following general instructions are for an Alpha Track type long-term radon test kit commonly used in residential homes.
Instructional Video
Choosing the Room to Test
The test should be done in the lowest lived-in level of your home. This means an area that people are in at least 4 hours per day. For some, this may be a basement with a family room, play room, or basement bedroom. For others, it will be the ground level floor.
Placing the Radon Test kit
For best results, the test kit should be away from walls, ceilings, and other large objects that would prevent good air flow around the kit. It should be at least 16 inches (30 cm) from interior walls and 20 inches (50 cm) from exterior walls and the ceiling. It should be 3 feet to 6.5 feet (0.8 m – 2 m) from the floor, at the height of a normal breathing zone. Examples of where to place the kit are on table or on top of a dresser. You can also hang the test kit from the ceiling on a 20 inch string or strap. You can attach the string or strap to the test kit with a piece of stick tack or tape.
Do NOT place the test kit:
- On the floor
- In a kitchen or bathroom
- In a crawl space, closet, or cupboard
- Near a sump pump
- In direct sunlight
- Near heat sources such as stoves or fireplaces
- In drafty areas or near vents
- In a laundry room or furnace room
- Near electrical appliances
- Directly next to anything that would prevent good air flow around the test kit. For example, do not place the kit right next to a stack of books or a standing picture frame.
Starting the Radon Test
- Start the test in your home as soon you receive it. It is recommended to test during the winter months (between November and March)
- Open the sealed bag that contains the test kit. As soon as you open the bag the test kit is ‘on’ and the test has begun.
- DO NOT remove any stickers or barcodes from the test kit
- DO NOT break or twist open the black plastic housing or results will be invalid.
- You can hang or place the radon test kit face up or face down.
- Write your start date and testing location on the data sheet provided.
- Leave the test kit in place and do not touch it or move it for at least 91 days.
Ending the Radon Test and Returning the Kit
- Write the test ending date on the data sheet provided
- Place the test kit in a plastic Ziploc bag. Seal the bag.
- Return the test kit and the data sheet per the instructions included with the kit.
If you have any questions, please contact the Radon Hotline at 519-258-2146 ext 1454 or email radon@wechu.org