ResourcesGlossary: testing
Alpha track detector
Short answer
An alpha track detector is a passive radon test device that holds a special plastic or film inside a filter-covered chamber. Alpha particles from radon and its progeny strike the plastic and leave marks, which a laboratory reads.
What alpha track detector means
Health Canada describes the device: alpha track detectors contain a special plastic or film inside a filter-covered detection chamber. Nebraska's radon program adds what happens inside: alpha particles emitted by radon and radon progeny strike the plastic and leave an indentation.
EPA says alpha track and electret detectors are commonly used for long-term testing, the kind that stays in the home for more than 90 days.
What a long-term alpha track test costs per day
Mississippi's health department prices an alpha track detector at $30 or so. Each row divides that price by the days of the test.
| Length of test | Days | Price per day |
|---|---|---|
| The shortest long-term test | 91 | $0.33 |
| About six months | 180 | $0.17 |
| A full year | 365 | $0.08 |
What it means for your home
Put it in the lowest lived-in level of the home and leave it alone for the whole test. Health Canada's advice for the period is that residents should not alter their lifestyle during a long-term radon test.
Health Canada recommends long-term alpha track detectors for home testing, and says only the long-term average should be compared with its guideline.
Where to go next
- Which radon test to use. See whether a
fits your situation. - Long-term radon test kits. The kits sold for a test of 90 days or more, compared.