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Our Review of
EPA's Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon
Testing Devices

This page is part of our review of the EPA's Guide to Radon for homeowners and home buyers Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon/ We present this review because Lake Tahoe is a high Radon area, according to EPA, and that may pose health risks. By getting Radon detection and Radon mitigation, you can live more healthfully amidst the beauty of Lake Tahoe.

The EPA Guide makes the point that Radon testing is easy and the only way to find out if you have a Radon problem in your home.

Since Radon is invisible and odorless, you need special equipment to detect it. When you're ready to test your home, you can order a Radon test kit by mail from a qualified Radon measurement services provider/laboratory. Or, hire a qualified Radon tester, very often a home inspector, who will use a Radon device suitable to your situation. It's helful to know at least a little bit about Radon testing devices.

Passive vs Active Radon Testing Devices

Ehte EPA defines Passive Radon testing devices as those that do not need power to function. These include charcoal canisters, alpha-track detectors, charcoal liquid scintillation devices, and electret ion chamber detectors, which are available in home stores and online. These devices are exposed to the air in the home for a specified period of time and then sent to a laboratory for analysis. DIY or call a qualified Radon tester, who may use any of these devices to measure the home's Radon level.

This Passive type of Radon test is a one-time affair, as opposed to continuous testing on a daily basis for weeks, months or even years. The continuously operating testing device is an Active Radon testing device. These are also available in home stores and online, but also researchers and Radon testing professionals make use of advanced Active Testing devices that have extra data recording and display features that most homeowners wouldn't really want. To learn more about Active Radon testing devices, view more by clicking on one of the navigation links below.


Home Air Quality Monitors

A Radon detector is only one home monitor that you can use to check the indoor air quality of your home at Lake Tahoe and beyond. Here's a handy link to home air quality monitors and other air quality products.


Navigation: More Radon Information

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