Land Protection Division

Oklahoma Radon Program

Radon Testing

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established an action level of 4 picoCuries per liter of air. This level, or concentration, is not an enforceable standard, but is a level at which the EPA recommends that you perform some mitigation. The only way to know the levels of radon in your home, school, or other buildings is to test for indoor radon concentrations.   

How do I test my home?

EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. 

The quickest way to test is with short-term tests. Short-term tests remain in your home for two days to 90 days, depending on the device. "Charcoal canisters," "alpha track," "electret ion chamber," "continuous monitors," and "charcoal liquid scintillation" detectors are most commonly used for short-term.

 Long-term tests remain in your home for more than 90 days. "Alpha track" and "electret" detectors are commonly used for this type of testing. A long-term test will give you a reading that is more likely to tell you your home's year-round average radon level than a short-term test.

Short-term radon test kits, including laboratory analysis and total postage, may be purchased from the DEQ for $27.00.  To order a test kit, call (405) 702-1152.

What do my test results mean?

The amount of radon in the air is measured in "picoCuries per liter of air," or "pCi/L." The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L, and about 0.4 pCi/L of radon is normally found in the outside air.  EPA recommends fixing your home if the results one long-term test or the average of two short-term tests show radon levels of 4 pCi/L (or 0.02 WL) or higher.

Sometimes short-term tests are less definitive about whether or not your home is above 4 pCi/L. This can happen when your results are close to 4 pCi/L. For example, if the average of your two short-term test results is 4.1  pCi/L, there is about a 50% chance that your year-round average is somewhat below 4 pCi/L.

If your living patterns change and you begin occupying a lower level of your home (such as a basement) you should retest your home on that level.

Even if your test result is below 4 pCi/L, you may want to test again sometime in the future.