# Test your home for radon

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://healthy100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://healthy100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://healthy100.jock.pl/test-home-radon/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-27
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-28, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 82 of 100 in the list: https://healthy100.jock.pl/#test-home-radon

Testing can reveal an invisible lung cancer risk that a qualified installer can reduce.

**The number:** About 16% higher lung cancer risk per 100 Bq/m3 of long term radon exposure ([WHO, 2023](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/radon-and-health))

## The evidence

- Evidence grade: B. Grade B: consistent large cohort studies, with some trial evidence.
- Basis: WHO synthesis of residential radon studies and CDC testing and mitigation guidance
- Outcome: lung cancer risk with higher long term radon exposure
- Comparison: Per 100 Bq/m3 increase; an exposure association, not a testing benefit
- Impact: 44/100. The impact score is an editorial prioritization heuristic for the general list, not a validated estimate of your personal risk.

## Why it matters

Radon is a radioactive gas that can enter buildings from the ground. WHO estimates lung cancer risk rises about 16% for each 100 Bq/m3 increase in long term average radon concentration. Testing identifies exposure; any benefit depends on reducing a high result, and risk is greater in people who smoke.

## How to do it

1. Ask your local radiation or public health authority about approved home testing.
2. Use a test kit or qualified tester according to local instructions; longer measurements better reflect average exposure.
3. Compare the result with your national action level; WHO advises a national reference level no higher than 300 Bq/m3, and arrange professional mitigation if yours is elevated.
4. Retest after mitigation to confirm the system is working.

## Talk to a clinician first

Action levels vary by country and do not mark a completely safe threshold. Use a qualified radon professional to interpret high results and plan mitigation.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 5 minutes: Find your local radiation or public health authority's radon testing advice and check how to obtain an approved kit or qualified tester.
- 15 minutes: Compare the recommended testing options and request a suitable kit or tester; check the measurement period and how results will be returned.

### What it looks like

- Before turning a basement into a bedroom, ask your local radon authority about testing it.
- After professional radon reduction work, arrange a repeat test to check the result.

### Common mistakes

- Radon has no warning smell, so use a test rather than judging the air yourself.
- A quick test does not represent every season equally, so ask which testing duration fits your situation.

### A structured start

**Test, interpret and reduce exposure**

1. Ask your local authority about approved tests, duration and national action levels.
2. Place the kit exactly as instructed and leave it for the full measurement period.
3. Send it for analysis and review the result using local guidance.
4. If elevated, arrange qualified advice on confirmation or mitigation, then retest after the work.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [Testing Your Home for Radon](https://www.cdc.gov/radon/testing/index.html), CDC

## In Spain

In Spain, Royal Decree 1029/2022 sets a reference level of 300 Bq/m3 for the annual average radon concentration, a value recommended not to be exceeded rather than a legal limit. Radon maps are only a guide and do not replace direct measurement in your home.

[Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN)](https://www.csn.es/preguntas-frecuentes-sobre-el-radon-en-viviendas), checked 2026-09-28

## Sources

- [Radon](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/radon-and-health), WHO, 2023 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Testing Your Home for Radon](https://www.cdc.gov/radon/testing/index.html), CDC, 2026 (Tier 1 guideline)

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General health information, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Personalization changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess your medical risks. Follow the cautions and consult a qualified clinician when needed.

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