The minimum test period for a radon test done by a licensed radon technician is two days (48 hours), but often ends up being a few hours longer to accommodate the schedules of the test technician and the homeowner. Results are available immediately or within a couple of hours after completion of the test, depending on the type of test device used.
When a radon test is done in conjunction with a home inspection, we usually place the test a couple of days before and pick it up at the inspection, so you have the radon results with your home inspection, or start it at the end of inspection and you get the results two days later.
If you do your own test using a charcoal canister available at hardware and big-box home improvement stores, the minimum test period is 4 days (96 hours), and test results are available anywhere from three days to a week after the lab receives delivery of your canister.
The two and four-day tests are normally done for real estate transactions or to provide data for a homeowner concerned about the radon level in their home, but longer-term tests of 90 days or more are also available.
Not sure whether testing for radon is worth the cost? Read our blog post “How can not testing for radon be an expensive mistake for homebuyers?” before you decide. And if you are considering a do-it-yourself radon test, see our blog post ”Can a homebuyer do their own radon test for a real estate transaction with a self-test kit?” for the pros and cons of doing your own test.
While we hope you find this series of articles about home inspection helpful, they should not be considered an alternative to an actual home inspection by a local inspector. Also, construction standards vary in different parts of the country and it is possible that important issues related to your area may not be covered here.
© McGarry and Madsen Inspection
