According to the World Health Organization, radon is a major cause of lung cancer. This radioactive material is considered dangerous since it can increase the risks of people to the said deadly disease. Whether you are a smoker or not, you can have lung cancer once exposed to high radon levels. One step that you can take to avoid radon’s adverse effects is to conduct long-term radon testing.
What is Radon Testing?
Radon testing is the process that you can use to identify the radon level in your home. You may ask for professional assistance from licensed radon contractors to conduct radon testing in your properties. Another option is to buy DIY radon test kits and do the radon testing yourself. If you have never tried it before, it is ideal to call the experts.
There are two types of radon testing to choose from: short-term and long-term radon testing. Although both can help you detect whether the cancer-causing gas is present in your home, choosing the latter one is highly recommended. To understand better, here’s the difference between the two types of tests:
Short Term vs. Long-Term
Short-term radon testing allows you to measure radon levels for 2-7 days. It is the quickest way to screen your home for radon. According to professional radon contractors, it is best to start with a short-term radon test when detecting the radioactive material.
On the other hand, long-term radon testing allows you to measure radon levels for a minimum of 90 days. Unlike short-term radon tests, this process can estimate the annual average of radon in your home. Long-term testing is more ideal because it includes both heating and non-heating seasons.
Why Long-Term Radon Testing is A Must
Some homeowners overlook the significance of radon testing because, for them, it is not necessary. And if they will test their home for radon, they believe a short-term radon test is enough. But unfortunately, it is not. Not only that, but it requires additional costs.
Long-term radon testing is a must because this radioactive gas fluctuates. Meaning, radon levels can be low or high at certain times of the year. Although there is an acceptable radon level at home, you’ll never know if it is safe unless you monitor the levels yourself. As such, long-term radon testing is a must.
Unlike short-term radon tests, a long-term radon test can tell you anything about how much radon is present, considering the different times of the year. With this process, you can monitor which area of your house has high radon levels. The surprising benefit of long-term radon tests is you can avoid unnecessary expenses. But how?
Some homeowners consider radon mitigation techniques as soon as they discover that their home has high radon levels. This could be costly since that could be the season where the radon level is high. There are times when the radon level is low, which means you don’t have to conduct radon mitigation right away.
Should You Do Short-Term or Long-Term Radon Testing?
If you cannot decide between short-term and long-term tests, you may consider both. The first one can be used to identify whether the radioactive gas is present. Once you found out that radon is present in your home, it’s time to monitor the radon levels throughout the year. If the radon level becomes alarming and you think it poses health risks, contact the radon experts and ask for the ideal radon mitigation techniques.
