Features:

  • The simple and safe way to test for radon
  • Listed under the EPA Radon Gas Measurement Proficiency Program
  • Includes test materials and lab fees, excluding NJ state fees
  • Results are emailed within 72 hours of lab receipt
  • Recommended for use only within the United States
Great indicator or first step testing.

I was wary when purchasing this kit. I am familiar with and confident of First Alert, but the reviews were weak. Because of the price point and the ability to test up to 9 samples, I bought it. You do have to pay for the analysis of each sample. I only really needed two samples at $15/sample, so it was doable. It also claimed to have results within 72hrs. Well, it took 10 days, but it was during a holiday. Also, it was emailed, along with some helpful information. Granted, if it had grown out something concerning, I would have gone through certified tests, but I just wanted to have a starting point for some water damage that was discovered. This is very inexpensive and the results showed nothing toxic, but definitely mold presence. It allowed me to move to the next step of thoroughly cleaning it all myself. However, keep in mind, the results are only for that specific area only. Air testing is a better indicator, but this was new water damage and I wanted to make sure it was safe enough to DIY. Happy that the lab company did get back to me, which was my main concern. Very happy! :-)

Very easy to test, results came quickly

After following the instructions, we received our results and are very satisfied with the process. We entered the information into the website rather than manually filling out the paperwork. The website is quite clunky, and we found it was best to submit the information AFTER the testing was complete. It seems economical and less error prone as someone isn't having to manually enter the information base on your writing. In our experience, we did one kit on the main level and one kit in the basement. The basement results were similar to a test before. We wanted to benchmark this for then testing the main level. If this is the only review you read, this is a summary of what you do: Open the package and set the charcoal box where you intend to test. Follow the recommendations on placement. Make sure you record the necessary information and the test code. Once testing is complete, package the test well in the provided air tight envelope and send it. We used USPS first class and it was quick. We also put a touch of packaging tape at the envelope corners just to add to the seal.

Well worth the price. Glad I searched for an alternative to hiring a professional.

Easier to use than I had anticipated. Results came back very quickly. It is just a sack of charcoal that you leave out and then mail in. I messed up filling out the form and was concerned that it would not work because the form is machine-read. I had bought 2 of these kits so I used the second one. I suggest making a copy before you start, or just don't mess up like I did. Cannot vouch for the accuracy, but the results were about where I would have expected them to be. They recommend testing often because the levels of radon vary based on season and living conditions. At this price, that is definitely doable. I'm not sure why professionals charge so much for the same thing.

Yep, it's a radon test.

This is the kit you're looking for. Its the canister style, and you leave it out in the area for 48 hours, then send it back to the lab in a prepaid envelope. Very easy. If you hire an inspector to do this same test, it'll cost you $150+. If you get the kit that looks like this at the hardware store, it costs $10, but there's a $20-40 fee for the report. With this one it's all included for about $12, although it takes 2 days to run the test and then a week to get the results. They do have an expedited option (addl cost) if you're doing due diligence on a home purchase, but it'll still take 2 days to run and then 2 more days for results. This worked great for us, though.

It Works and is Varifiable

We've actually used the First Alert radon test twice now. The first time was to get an initial radon amount and then a follow up test after we had someone come in and fit a radon mitigation system in the basement. The company that did the work followed up with their own lab test from another lab company to show how much the radon had come down. Because we wanted to confirm the results (or because we are either untrustiong or simply dubious) we got another First Alert test kit and did the post test again. The results were within .1% of the company's test so there was good verification. Incidentally The First time we tested we were showing 7.8 pcl and the second test, after mitigation, showed .7 pcl, so we were happy all around.

Very satisfied with this product

Chances are if you are reading reviews for a carbon-based Radon test kit, you already have a general idea of how they work and what they test for. This test kit comes in a small box, it contains a sealed tray of a charcoal-like substance that you sit in the spot where you want to run the test for 48-72 hours. After that time, you put the kit back into the included envelope along with a completed information card, seal it up, and mail it away for testing to a lab. Simple enough. To sum it all up, I was very satisfied with this product from start to finish. Here is my review, focusing on a few key areas that I feel need to be addressed based on reading the product information and other customer reviews: Ease of Use: I found this kit to be as simple to use as it could possibly have been. The only contents of the box are exactly what is necessary. The instructions are short, but thorough enough that they provide you with everything needed to maximize your chances of a successful and accurate test. It goes over the basics of how to use the kit, recommended places to place it, conditions your house needs to be in, etc. Once you've run it for 48-72 hours, you just record the necessary information on the info card, drop it in the envelope, and off it goes to the lab. Hidden/Additional Fees: The price of this kit includes the lab analysis and results reporting, so there are no "hidden" fees. However, the kit gives you the option to pay an additional $10 for "rush processing". I did not opt for this, so I can't comment on how much faster the results would have been, but I assume this would be useful for things like real estate transactions. This test was only for my own information in a house I already own, so speed of results wasn't a top priority for me. The only other potential "hidden" fee is the cost of postage to return the kit. The return envelope states that you must attached 5 first-class postage stamps. So that's a little over $2 of postage required to send the kit in for testing. Not going to break the bank, but I felt it was worth mentioning. Speed of Receiving Results: This is the main area I wanted to focus my review on. There are many other reviews that are complaining about how they sent away their kit and never heard back again, or had a very difficult time interfacing with the lab to get their final results. Like I mentioned above, I sent my kit back without opting for the rush processing service. My test finished on Sunday, January 13th. It was sealed in an envelope and dropped in the mail on the morning of Monday, January 14th. Standard first-class mail. I received my results back in the form of an email with a PDF attachment today, Monday January 21st. Seven days total for results, including the time it spent going from Maryland to Texas in the mail! I couldn't believe it when I received the email. Many others complained of it taking 2-4 weeks to get results, or never hearing back at all. I can only speak for my one experience, but I was extremely satisfied with the speed. Accuracy of Results: I chose to use this carbon-based test kit as a supplement to another kit I had purchased, the Safety Siren Pro Series HS71512 3 Radon Gas Detector. The Safety Siren Pro kit is significantly more expensive, but gives a short term (2 day average) reading as well as a long term (7 day average) reading. I placed both a few feet apart when I ran the test. My Safety Siren digital reader showed a result of .8 pci average over a 7 day test, and the results I received back from this First Alert test kit had a reading of .7 pci. This is extremely close, and made me feel confident that both kits are likely to be accurate. All in all, I rate this product a full five stars based on my experience, and I would have no issue recommending this kit to anyone else looking for a short term radon reading. Follow the simple directions, and you'll be satisfied.

THAT IS QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

I did not see my email results and forgot about my test. I also lost my serial number for my test. I thought it was a lost cause. Many months later I contacted the test lab at 1-800-324-5928 and they emailed my results again and printed a hard copy for me. THAT IS QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! (Thanks Lauren at Alpha Energy Labs!)

Thumbs up for fast service! Very helpful product.

Very pleased with this test kit: reasonable price, easy to use, no testing fees, and quick service on the test results. I did two tests about 2 weeks apart (here in Central PA.). The first test was without an operating radon exhaust system (bad fan motor) and they reported 20.9 pCi/L (Wow!). Then I replaced the fan, started the exhaust system, and after 2 weeks ran another test with results of 0.6 pCI/L. So we're good to go... and we'll keep the new radon exhaust fan running at all times.

Very easy to use

Very easy to use. I mailed it out and paid extra for faster reading. Got results back pretty quickly. I called the lab and they said they do readings 7 days a week. The results are put in the computer monday thru friday. So no worries if you think your package will sit in the lab's mail room over the weekend. It gets processed the same or the very next day. I was able to log on the website and get the results. And results were very easy to understand.

Get the Lead Out

Our dog and myself had been having some issues and I thought there might be a correlation with the painted bedroom set (Made in China)in our Master Bedroom. Some of the headboard was faded, where our dog licks it occasionally. Yes, he is the center of the universe and has slept between my wife and I for fourteen years, since he was a puppy. Anyway, I scraped some paint chips from various areas of the bed and let them sit in white vinegar, per the instructions, for 4 hours. I then poured the strained vinegar into the plastic test tube a quarter of the way up. I took half a Q-Tip that I cut in two and dipped it into the solution and dropped it into the test tube with the vinegar. I closed the lid and I tipped it once per the instructions and was happy to find out the paint had no lead in it. You will have to supply your own white vinegar. I then went out to my fishing box and got a lead weight. I cut a slice into it. I took the other half of the Q-Tip I had used before and dipped it into the solution. I rubbed it on the lead weight and the Q-Tip turned a very dark brownish black. So, I know this thing works. Two other things regarding other reviews: 1. You can check paint the same way as I checked the lead weight, but their secondary instruction states that the result will be far superior by using vinegar, especially with darker colored paints. The reason stated is you don't want the dark paint to give a false reading. Depending on the amount of lead, the Q-Tip can be anywhere from a light yellow to a black, whereas no lead will reflect a white Q-Tip. 2. Some people complained about the solution bottle being too narrow to get the Q-Tip in and out. The reason why is so when you pull the Q-Tip out, it leaves most of the solution in the bottle, as it does not need much of it to test for lead. For this reason, though they supply two Q-Tips for four tests, there is enough solution to probably do 6 or even 8 tests, but you will have to supply the extra Q-Tips. Hope this info helped.

Full Reviews