The radon levels reported on your device are all rolling averages. But how should you react to them? What are they really telling you?
Risk is best evaluated using the long-term average level
Because radon levels can fluctuate significantly over short time periods, it’s essential to base your decisions on a long-term average level of thirty days or more. That’s why you should measure at least one month before deciding to take action and the cumulative or 1 year average is the best indicator of how much radon you are being exposed to in your home. Factors such as weather and structural characteristics can significantly influence radon levels. Cold weather, for instance, compacts the ground, channeling more radon into your home. Heavy rain and low atmospheric pressure can also drive more radon into your home.
Short-term averages are snapshots while long-term averages give you a fuller picture of how much radon you are exposed to in the space you’re monitoring.
Keep a cool head - radon isn't an immediate health risk
It’s natural to be concerned if you start monitoring radon and quickly see high levels. But remember that the risk radon poses if over a long time of frequent exposure to high levels. It’s worth the time it takes to build a more complete picture before you decide if action is needed.
So keep calm and monitor for at least a month and see what your long-term radon level is at that point. If it's well into the Poor range, it's a good idea to consult a radon professional for further advice. Otherwise, consider continuing to monitor a while longer to see if and how the long-term level changes.
Recent trends are shown in the short-term averages
The short-term averages of 24H and 7D are updated every hour with the data from the most recent sample. These averages can give you a picture of how radon levels have changed recently.
Testing a mitigation action? Because radon is measured in averages, changes are not reflected immediately in the 24H average level. It will take a full 24 hours from the time of taking a mitigation action until the latest 24H average will show how much of a difference it made.
💡 Use the 24H and 7D radon averages to evaluate what impact actions, like opening windows or using a fan to increase ventilation, have on radon levels. You can also look at the 3H graph in the app to see the short-term impact.