Nevada radon testing gives residents information that a home’s appearance cannot provide. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter buildings from the ground and accumulate indoors. You cannot see or smell it, and prolonged exposure increases the risk of lung cancer. The Nevada Radon Education Program encourages residents to test their homes.
Getting a useful result involves more than switching on a monitor. The device, room, testing period, and household conditions all affect how the measurement should be interpreted. A little preparation helps you avoid collecting a reading that leaves you uncertain about what to do next.
Check Your Home’s Testing History
Look for an actual radon report among your property records. Check the date, room, device, testing duration, and result. A verbal assurance that the home was inspected does not establish that radon was measured.
A newer house or a home without a basement can still have elevated radon. EPA explains that radon problems occur in both old and new buildings, including homes built without basements. Even radon-resistant construction needs testing after occupancy to establish whether those features are working adequately.
If you rent, ask the property manager whether a report exists for your unit. Request a copy so you can see what was tested before deciding how to proceed.
Choose a Nevada Radon Testing Option
Residents can obtain a test kit, borrow a digital monitor, or hire a qualified radon measurement professional.
The University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s test kit and monitor location page lists local options. Its monitor lending program allows residents to borrow a device for up to two weeks without a fee or deposit. The monitors do not require Wi-Fi. Confirm availability and pickup arrangements with the office before traveling.
Check whether a listed location provides monitors or only test kits. Extension distinguishes between these services, and partner locations generally distribute free kits during January and February.
Testing duration also matters. Short-term tests measure radon over two to 90 days, depending on the device. Long-term tests run for more than 90 days and better represent exposure across changing household and seasonal conditions. Follow the duration specified for your particular test.
Select the Room Before Starting
For routine testing in an occupied home, EPA recommends the lowest level where people regularly spend time. That could be a frequently used basement or the first floor. Choose a bedroom, living room, or similar occupied space, avoiding kitchens and bathrooms.
EPA’s general kit guidance calls for placement at least 20 inches above the floor, away from drafts, exterior walls, high heat, and humidity. Follow any additional placement requirements supplied with your device.
For a borrowed monitor, ask staff to demonstrate the setup. Extension’s monitor guidance emphasizes a commonly used space with stable temperatures, away from windows, direct sunlight, and vents.
Choose somewhere the device can remain undisturbed. Tell everyone in the household what it is and when the test ends, especially if cleaners, visitors, or children might move it.
Prepare for Closed-House Conditions
Short-term testing generally requires closed-house conditions: keep windows and exterior doors closed, allowing normal entry and exit. For a test lasting less than four days, EPA directs residents to establish those conditions at least 12 hours before starting.
Normal heating and cooling can generally continue, but equipment that introduces outdoor air needs particular attention. If you use an evaporative cooler or another ventilation system, ask the test provider how to maintain valid conditions while keeping the home comfortable.
Avoid scheduling a very short test during severe storms or unusually high winds. EPA also advises leaving an existing radon reduction system operating during testing.
Pick dates that fit household activities. An open-house gathering, renovation project, or weekend of moving furniture through exterior doors can make the required conditions difficult to maintain.
Record the Test and Complete the Return Process
Write down the device identification, room, start date, and start time. Set a reminder for the required finish time.
For a laboratory kit, record the stop time, seal it as instructed, and return it promptly. Follow the packaging directions rather than leaving the completed sample on a counter until a convenient mailing day. EPA includes prompt return as part of proper test handling.
For a borrowed digital monitor, save the completed reading before returning it. Extension advises checking the average radon level displayed by the device. Ask staff how to distinguish that average from other readings on the screen.
Also note interruptions, such as a moved device or windows left open. Give those details to the test provider when asking whether the result remains usable.
Interpret the Result and Plan Follow-Up
Radon results are commonly reported in picocuries per liter, written as pCi/L. A reading below 4 pCi/L does not mean exposure is risk-free.
Federal guidance recommends follow-up after an initial short-term result at or above 4 pCi/L. Mitigation is recommended when a long-term result, or the average of two short-term results, reaches that level. Levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L also warrant considering reduction measures.
Nevada’s Extension program takes an earlier retesting approach: its current testing page recommends another test when the first result is 2.7 pCi/L or higher. That is a follow-up recommendation, distinct from EPA’s 4 pCi/L action level.
If your initial short-term result exceeds 8 pCi/L, EPA recommends taking another short-term test immediately. Ask the program or a qualified tester which follow-up method fits your result.
Use Qualified Help for Radon Reduction
When results indicate that mitigation is needed, arrange an assessment by a qualified radon professional. The appropriate system depends on the building’s foundation and how radon enters.
A common approach uses piping and a fan to draw soil gas from beneath the home and discharge it outdoors. Sealing openings may support that system, but EPA does not recommend sealing alone as a reliable solution.
Ask for a written scope explaining the proposed method, installation, maintenance, and testing after completion. The follow-up measurement establishes whether the work reduced indoor radon.
Keep the reports with your home records. Revisit testing before and after renovations or when household use changes, such as turning a lower-level room into a bedroom or office.
Note: Follow the instructions supplied with your specific test device. Confirm current lending availability and result-specific guidance with the Nevada Radon Education Program.
