Long-term kit
RL116 long-term radon test kit
- Lab fee extra
Method: Alpha track
In home: 90 days to 12 months
ProductsExplained
Radon test kit results: which lab has yours
Short answer
A mail-in radon kit's result comes from the laboratory that analyzes it: Alpha Energy Labs for First Alert's RD1 and Kidde's 442020, and PRO-LAB's own lab for its kits. Record the kit's number before mailing, send it right away, and read the result against the EPA's steps.
Key takeaways
- A mail-in radon kit is analyzed by a laboratory, and the result comes from that lab, not from the store or the brand on the box.
- Write down the kit's number before you mail it: labs look up a result by the device or bar code number.
- Mail it right away when the test ends; the EPA says to send it to the lab named on the package immediately.
- First Alert says its RD1 result is ready 3 to 5 business days after the lab receives the kit; PRO-LAB says it mails results within one week of receipt.
- Read the number against the EPA's steps: a short-term result of 4 pCi/L or more calls for a follow-up test.
Test kit results in short
Searches for a radon test result usually start with the name on the kit, but the result comes from the laboratory that analyzes it. This page sets out which lab analyzes each mail-in kit we cover, what each lab says about registering a kit and finding a result, how long the makers say it takes, and what to do with the number once you have it.
| Kit | Analyzed by | How the result reaches you, as stated |
|---|---|---|
| AccuStar PicoCan (PC400 or PC275) | AccuStar's own laboratory; NRSB lists its Ward Hill, Massachusetts lab as accredited for both canister sizes | Emailed; the same day if the lab receives the canister by noon, by AccuStar's quick start guide |
| Detekt Radon Short Term Test Kit | Not named in Detekt's text, which says a certified laboratory | A digital report by email within 72 hours after the lab receives the kit, by Detekt's answers |
| empowerDX Standard Radon Test | Not named in empowerDX's text; the return address and pouch in its kit photo point to Alpha Energy Labs of Carrollton, Texas | Typically emailed 3 to 5 business days after the lab receives the sample |
| First Alert RD1 | Alpha Energy Labs, per First Alert's leaflet | Available 3 to 5 business days after the lab receives the kit |
| Kidde Radon Test Kit (442020) | Alpha Energy Laboratories | The lab mails the results back with information about its findings |
| PRO-LAB RA100 | PRO-LAB's laboratory | Mailed within one week of receipt; an express real-estate service returns results within 48 hours, or in 3 business days by PRO-LAB's instructions |
| PRO-LAB RA400 | PRO-LAB's laboratory | Laboratory results within 7 days, with the lab analysis included; express service for an additional fee |
| PRO-LAB RL116 | PRO-LAB's laboratory | An evaluation within 2 weeks after PRO-LAB receives the detector |
| PRO-LAB RL416 | PRO-LAB's laboratory; analysis included in the kit | An evaluation within 2 weeks after PRO-LAB receives the detector, by its long-term instructions |
| RadonAway Air Chek Short-Term (28658) | Air Chek, a brand of RadonAway, at its laboratory in Mills River, North Carolina, per the kit's guide | Tracked online at radon.com; the guide says available the same business day the lab receives the kit, while Radon.com's FAQ says within 1 to 2 business days |
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The kits in this section10
Long-term kit
RL416 long-term radon test kit, lab fee included
- Lab fee included
Method: Alpha track
In home: 90 days to 12 months
Short-term kit
PicoCan short-term charcoal canister radon test
- Lab fee included
Method: Charcoal
In home: 48 to 96 hours
No Amazon listing on file
See details of the AccuStar PicoCan
Short-term kit
Radon Short Term Test Kit short-term charcoal radon test kit, lab fee included
- Lab fee included
Method: Charcoal
In home: 2 to 7 days
Short-term kitempowerDX
Standard Radon Test short-term mail-in radon test kit
- Lab fee included
Method: Passive sampler
In home: 48 to 96 hours
Short-term kitFirst Alert
RD1 short-term charcoal radon test kit
- Lab fee included
Method: Charcoal
In home: 2 to 4 days
Short-term kitKidde
442020 short-term charcoal radon test kit
- Lab fee included
Method: Charcoal
In home: 3 days
No Amazon listing on file
See details of the Kidde 442020
Short-term kit
RA100 short-term liquid scintillation radon test kit
- Lab fee extra
Method: Liquid scintillation
In home: 48 to 96 hours
Short-term kit
RA400 short-term liquid scintillation radon test kit, lab fee included
- Lab fee included
Method: Liquid scintillation
In home: 48 to 96 hours
Short-term kit
Air Chek Short-Term radon test kit you hang, lab fee included
- Lab fee included
In home: 72 to 168 hours
No Amazon listing on file
See details of the RadonAway Air Chek Short-Term
The kits in this section: 1 of 10
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Before you mail the kit
Most lost results are lost before the kit reaches the lab. First Alert's leaflet asks you to record the bar code number of the kit, PRO-LAB's short-term instructions are to seal the detectors with the enclosed caps and completely fill out the data card, and its long-term instructions warn that if you leave out any information, the detector cannot be analyzed. The EPA's advice for any kit is to reseal it when the test ends and send it to the lab specified on the package right away.
Step 1 of 5:
Record the number
Write down the device or bar code number and keep it; it is how a lab finds your result.
Step 2 of 5:
Fill in the card
Complete the data card or the lab's registration as the kit's instructions ask; PRO-LAB's long-term card asks for the serial number, the test location and the start date.
Step 3 of 5:
Seal it
Close the kit as its instructions say, so no more air reaches the sampler.
Step 4 of 5:
Mail it right away
The EPA says to send it to the lab specified on the package right away; PRO-LAB asks for its long-term detector within 24 hours of the end of the test.
Step 5 of 5:
Check the postage
AccuStar's devices page says its test kits include a prepaid return mailer, but RadonAway says return postage is not included with the PicoCan, and AccuStar's canister instructions say it is not responsible for any costs of return shipping and offer return shipping labels at reduced prices, so ask the seller; Detekt says you mail its detector to its lab in the prepaid envelope; empowerDX's Standard kit has no prepaid return shipping, and you choose the carrier; Kidde says mailing is not included and takes two postage stamps; PRO-LAB's long-term kit comes with a pre-paid postage envelope. RadonAway's Air Chek kit includes USPS return shipping, and its guide says the kit must reach the lab within 11 days of the end of the test.
Finding your result, lab by lab
Each laboratory below publishes its own way to register a kit or look up a result.
| Laboratory | What its site offers |
|---|---|
| AccuStar Labs | A results check on its home page that asks for the device number and postal code |
| Alpha Energy Laboratories (now part of Eurofins) | Register Your Test Info and Check Your Test Results pages; it also sells its own short-term, long-term and radon in water kits |
| National Radon Program Services (Kansas State University) | Its short-term kits go to Alpha Energy Laboratories, with results on Alpha Energy's site; its long-term kits go to Radonova; short-term kits must reach the lab within 10 days of the end of the test |
| PRO-LAB | Results mailed to you within one week of receipt, or within 48 hours with its express real-estate service (3 business days by its short-term instructions) |
| Radon.com | Register Your Test and Check Your Radon Results pages, for its short-term, long-term and radon in water tests |
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Alpha Energy Laboratories matters beyond its own kits: First Alert's leaflet names it as the lab for the RD1, Kidde sends its 442020 kit there, and Nevada's state radon program offers online kit orders through it, noting it is now part of Eurofins. If you bought a First Alert or Kidde kit, Alpha Energy's site is the place to look for your result.
How long a result takes
The test itself is the longest part. The EPA says stay in a home for two days to 90 days, depending on the device, and for more than 90 days. First Alert's RD1 sits out for two to four days, Kidde's 442020 for three, RadonAway's Air Chek kit for three to seven days, and PRO-LAB's RA100 detectors for at least 48 and no more than 96 hours, by PRO-LAB's instructions.
| Kit | Exposure | Result after the lab receives it |
|---|---|---|
| AccuStar PicoCan (PC400 or PC275) | 2 to 4 days (48 to 96 hours); the lab must receive it within 7 days of the end of the test | The same day if received by noon, by AccuStar's quick start guide |
| Detekt Radon Short Term Test Kit | Two to seven days | Within 72 hours by email; 3 to 5 business days after mailing, by Detekt's other answer |
| empowerDX Standard Radon Test | 48 to 96 hours; invalid under 2 days or over 7 | 3 to 5 business days, typically by email |
| First Alert RD1 | Two to four days | 3 to 5 business days |
| Kidde 442020 | Three days | Mailed back by the lab; time not stated |
| PRO-LAB RA100 | 48 to 96 hours, two detectors side by side | Within one week; express in 48 hours to 3 business days, by PRO-LAB's differing pages |
| PRO-LAB RA400 | 48 to 96 hours, PRO-LAB's figure for its short-term kit; two detectors side by side | Within 7 days; express for an additional fee |
| PRO-LAB RL116 | 90 days to 12 months (FAQ); three to twelve months (instructions) | Within 2 weeks; PRO-LAB must receive it within 2 months of the stop date |
| PRO-LAB RL416 | 3 months to 1 year (store page); 90 days to 12 months (FAQ) | Within 2 weeks, by PRO-LAB's long-term instructions |
| RadonAway Air Chek Short-Term (28658) | Three to seven days (72 to 168 hours); no more than 4 days in a humid spot | Same business day by the guide; the next day, or 1 to 2 business days, by Radon.com |
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Add mailing time in both directions. If a result has not arrived well after the stated time, contact the lab with the kit's number and the date you mailed it.
Reading the result
A kit's report gives a radon level in (pCi/L). The EPA's steps are the same whatever lab produced it. After a short-term test at or above 4 pCi/L, take a follow-up test, either a long-term test or a second short-term test. Fix the home if the long-term result is 4 pCi/L or more; if you used a second short-term test, consider fixing if the average of the two is 4 pCi/L or more. The EPA also says to consider fixing between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
| Your result | Next step |
|---|---|
| 4 pCi/L or more | Follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test |
| Between 2 and 4 pCi/L | Consider fixing the home; a long-term test gives a better year-round picture |
| Below 2 pCi/L | Below the range where the EPA says to consider fixing; retest after changes to the home |
PRO-LAB's RA100 report works from the average of its two detectors: if the average is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, PRO-LAB says to take action. For what any number means, put it into the radon result interpreter. Long-term kits are on long-term radon test kits, and the kits themselves are compared on radon test kits.
Questions about radon test kit results
Where do I find my First Alert radon test results?
First Alert's leaflet names Alpha Energy Labs as the laboratory for the RD1, and Alpha Energy's site has a Check Your Test Results page. First Alert says results are available 3 to 5 business days after the lab receives the kit. Keep the bar code number you recorded.
Where do I find my Kidde radon test results?
Kidde's 442020 goes to Alpha Energy Laboratories, and Kidde says the lab mails the results back to you with information about its findings.
How do I check my AccuStar radon results?
AccuStar's home page has a results check that asks for the device number and the postal code.
How long does a radon test kit result take?
After the lab receives the kit, First Alert says 3 to 5 business days for the RD1 and PRO-LAB says within one week for the RA100, with an express real-estate option within 48 hours; PRO-LAB's instructions say 3 business days. Add mailing time both ways.
Does the kit price include the lab fee?
It varies. RadonAway sells AccuStar's PicoCan canister with laboratory analysis and says return postage is not included, though AccuStar's devices page says its test kits include a prepaid return mailer. Detekt covers all professional lab analysis fees except New Jersey state fees, with a prepaid envelope for the return. First Alert and Kidde include the analysis except for New Jersey's state fee; PRO-LAB has you send any required lab fee with the RA100's detectors, and sells long-term and short-term kits with the analysis included (the RL416 and RA400). Kidde says return postage is not included. empowerDX's Standard kit includes the analysis and the shipping to you, but not the return postage. RadonAway includes the analysis and USPS return shipping with its Air Chek kit.
What if I forgot to write down the kit number?
Contact the laboratory named on the kit's envelope with the date you mailed it and your address; the number is how labs find a result, so record it next time before mailing.
My result is high. What now?
After a short-term result of 4 pCi/L or more, the EPA says to follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test. It says to fix the home if the long-term result is 4 pCi/L or more, and to consider fixing if the average of two short-term tests is.
Can a store-bought kit be used for a home sale?
Check your state's rules and the contract. The EPA's buyer and seller guide says all radon tests should be taken for a minimum of 48 hours, and that interference with the test or closed-house conditions will invalidate the result.