Radon’s half-life about 3.8 days, and the soil keeps sending more
Radon-222 has a half-life of about 3.8 days: half of the atoms present turn into other elements. That does not mean the basement is clean after a week. The soil keeps sending more. In a closed house, a balance settles between what enters and what decays or leaks out.
The products of that decay are solid and radioactive. Stuck to dust, they are what irradiate the lung once inhaled. Taking the detector out “to let it decay” measures nothing. Lung cancer. What radon is.
Reference points: Health Canada, what you need to know about radon and the 200 Bq/m³ guideline. The two-year timeline between 200 and 600, and one year above 600, comes from Health Canada’s guide for radon measurements in homes.
The 4-day test gives a first reading. The 91-day test covers the three-month minimum Health Canada asks for. Both are $59 before tax: shipping, return and the laboratory are included, taxes extra. The PDF report is sent within 2 business days after the laboratory receives the detector.
Above 200 Bq/m³, mitigation is confirmed with a quote. Gaz Radon is C-NRPP certified for measurement and mitigation.
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