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Can you be in the house during a radon test?

By Radon411 Editorial TeamUpdated How we research

Short answer

Yes: you can live in the house as usual during a radon test, coming and going through the doors, running heating and air conditioning, and sleeping in the room with the device. Keep windows and outside doors closed, and do not run fans that bring in outside air or disturb the device.

Next step: pick the right test for your home. Which test to use

mean keeping all windows closed, keeping doors closed except for normal entry and exit, and not operating fans or other machines that bring in air from outside. Heating and air conditioning that recirculate air may run, as may small exhaust fans for short periods.

For a of 2 to 4 days, those conditions start at least 12 hours before the test and last through it. Place the device in a regularly used room on the lowest lived-in level, such as a living room or bedroom, at least 20 inches above the floor.

What spoils a test is disturbing it: interference with the device or with closed-house conditions will invalidate the result, and it is illegal in some states.

What to do next: for a short test, close up the house at least 12 hours ahead, set the device out, go about your normal routine, and send it to the lab right away when the test ends.

Yes: live normally, with the house closed up

You can stay in the house and go about your normal routine during a radon test. What matters is : keep all windows closed, keep doors closed except for normal entry and exit, and do not run fans or other machines that bring in air from outside.

During a radon test
Fine to doAvoid
Come and go through doors as usualLeaving windows or outside doors open
Run heating and air conditioning that recirculate airRunning fans or machines that bring in outside air
Use small exhaust fans for short periodsMoving or touching the test device
Sleep, cook and use rooms as usualChanging closed-house conditions

Before the test starts

For a of 2 to 4 days, closed-house conditions start at least 12 hours before the test and last through the whole test period. Every radon test should run for a minimum of 48 hours. Don't run a short test of just 2 or 3 days during unusually severe storms or periods of unusually high winds.

  1. Close up

    Close windows and outside doors at least 12 hours ahead.

  2. Place the device

    In a regularly used room on the lowest lived-in level, at least 20 inches above the floor, where it won't be disturbed.

  3. Record the start

    Note the start date and time, as the instructions say.

  4. Live normally

    Use the house as usual, keeping the closed-house rules.

  5. Finish and send

    Record the stop time, reseal the package and send it to the lab right away.

Which room the test goes in

The test belongs in a room that is used regularly, like a living room, playroom, den or bedroom, but not the kitchen or bathroom, on the lowest lived-in level. So yes, you can sleep in the room with the test.

Good and poor rooms for the device
GoodPoor
Living roomKitchen
BedroomBathroom
Den or playroomCloset, stairway or hallway

Keep the device away from drafts, high heat, high humidity and exterior walls. See where a radon test should be placed.

What can spoil the result

Living in the house does not spoil a test; disturbing it does. Interference with, or disturbance of, the test or closed-house conditions will invalidate the result, and doing so is illegal in some states. Improper testing may yield inaccurate results and require another test, so a test run outside these conditions may need to be repeated.

Short tests and long tests

Short-term tests stay in the home for two days to 90 days, depending on the device, and for more than 90 days. You live in the house throughout either one; the closed-house rules apply to short-term tests.

TestHow long it runsWhat it is for
Short-term testStays in the home from 2 to 90 days, depending on the device, and for a minimum of 48 hours.A faster screening result. Because radon levels vary from day to day and season to season, it is less likely than a long-term test to tell you the year-round average.
Long-term testStays in the home for more than 90 days.It is more likely than a short-term test to tell you the home's year-round average radon level.
Short-term and long-term radon tests: how long each stays in the home.

Questions about living in the house during a test

Can I live in my house during a radon test?

Yes. Keep windows and outside doors closed except for normal entry and exit, and live as usual.

Can I run the air conditioner during a radon test?

Yes. Heating and air conditioning that recirculate air may run; operate them normally.

Can I open a window during a radon test?

No. Keep windows closed for the whole test, and for at least 12 hours before a short test of 2 to 4 days.

Can I use the bathroom fan during a radon test?

Small exhaust fans operating for only short periods of time may run during the test.

Can I sleep in the room with the radon test?

Yes. A bedroom on the lowest lived-in level is one of the suggested rooms.

Do I need to keep interior doors closed?

The closed-house rules cover windows and doors to the outside. Follow your kit's instructions for anything more specific.

How long do I keep the house closed up?

For the whole test, and from at least 12 hours before a short test of 2 to 4 days.

Can I leave the house during a radon test?

Yes, as long as the house stays closed up and the device is not disturbed.

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