Buying a Radon Monitor? How to Make Sure You Buy One That Really Works
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Anyone hoping to check their home’s radon levels can now choose from dozens of different radon monitors sold online or in stores — but experts warn that many of those devices don’t actually work.
Pam Warkentin, executive director of the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST), which runs the country’s certification program with Health Canada, warned that too many Canadians install faulty monitors, only to discover they are not approved or certified.
“I have to tell them that they really can’t make a decision on those detectors and that they need to buy another one.”
Wasted money and time adds up quickly. Each electronic monitor can cost hundreds of dollars, and people are encouraged to test it for at least three months. Warkentin remembers talking to one homeowner who purchased the devices for himself and his adult children, but was held back until he used his own monitors for several months.
These types of “scam” devices pose a threat to public health because they don’t show a building’s actual radon levels, Warkentin said.
He said misleading readings could discourage homeowners from taking steps to reduce household radon, an invisible, radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer with prolonged exposure. Millions of Canadian homes are likely to have higher levels, research showsWhile radon-induced lung cancer causes an estimated 3,200 deaths each year.
“A lot of people are going to get tested and have low levels and don’t even question the device,” Warkentin warned.
So how do you properly test your home for radon? And which monitors should you avoid?
Radon gas is invisible, poisonous and millions of Canadians have no idea it is hidden in their homes. For The National, CBC’s Lauren Pelley explains the health risks and what you can do to keep your home safe.
How to test for radon
Health Canada recommends Test your home every three months or more, and ideally during the winter months when homes are sealed and radon readings can be highest.
“There’s no way to predict it,” said Warkentin, who is also a project manager for Canada’s Take Action on Radon Awareness program. “Everyone just needs to get tested.”
With millions of Canadians living in homes with high levels of invisible and poisonous radon gas, CBC’s Lauren Pelley explains how to test for it and what to do if it’s found.
To do that long term testing, you can either Hire a Radon Measurement Professional Or get your own testing kit.
Some communities provide free radon monitors through libraries or local public health units, but generally, homeowners pay for their devices out of pocket. And there are a variety of options out there, ranging from passive tracking devices to electronic monitors that display real-time results on screens and apps.
The problem, Warkentin said, is that with some devices they don’t work, but instead provide “falsely low” readings.
“I don’t know what they’re reading, but they’re not reading radon levels,” she said. “So they’re giving you a number, but it’s not based on … what the radon levels (actually) are in the home.”
Find an approved monitor
At Health Canada’s Radon Lab in Ottawa, a team of scientists runs tests on home radon monitors to see how well they perform under regular home conditions.
“We tested about 40 different devices that are available,” Pavel Makerski, head of the federal department’s radon technical operations, told CBC News when our team visited the lab in January. “We’ve seen the market explode over the last five years.”
Radon monitors are formally approved and certified through the Canadian Radon Certification Program operated by CARST under the supervision of Health Canada.
Only till March 2026 Six electronic monitors have been approved To use:
- Airthings Corentium Home.
- AirThings View.
- Arnett RN+.
- EcoSense EcoCube.
- EcoSense RadonEye.
- Sunradon Luft.
Canadians looking for one of those certified devices can find it List of Provincial Suppliers Through the Take Action on Radon Program.
A family in Stratford, PEI tested radon in their home, and the results showed high levels of the invisible, toxic gas. They are now taking steps to reduce the problem, and encouraging others to check their homes. CBC’s Stacey Janzer has more.
check for recalls
If you instead decide to purchase a radon monitor through an online storefront or local hardware store, Warkentin said it’s buyer beware.
“We moved from (a few) devices that we recalled in our first consumer report to now evaluating more than 20 devices that we have concerns about,” he said.
Canada’s Radon Certification Program currently offers List of more than a dozen devices Which are either not yet approved or have already been withdrawn by Health Canada.
While Warkentin recommends homeowners check that list before purchasing a radon testing kit, he said it’s hard to keep up with the changing landscape because manufacturers are regularly releasing new devices — or rebranding faulty devices.
“What seems to be happening is either they get bad reviews on these online retailers, or they get recalled by Health Canada, or they’re on our non-approved list,” she said. “Then (manufacturers) pull them, rebox them, give them a new name and then they start selling them again.”
