Testing
Why should I test my home?
Although there are no immediate symptoms, long-term exposure to radon can cause cellular damage in the lungs that can lead to lung cancer.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, Surgeon General, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, and the National Safety Council recommend testing your home for radon because testing is the only way to know if your home has radon.
Contact your local county health department or call 1-800-383-5992 to purchase a do-it-yourself, low-cost test kit. Test kits are also available for purchase from most hardware and home improvement stores. If you would like an Iowa certified measurement professional to test your home see the list or map under "Find a Specialist" below.
If your home is being tested for radon as part of a real estate transaction see the EPA "Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide" booklet below or the "Iowa Home Buyer's and Seller's Factsheet" under the Resources section of our website for more information.
Guidance, Protocols & Standards
Iowa certified measurement specialist must follow all U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) radon measurement guidelines and protocols when testing for radon or radon progeny. EPA guidance is to use the consensus standards of proactice developed by the American Association of Radon Scientists and Tecnologists National Radon Proficiency Program and the American National Standards Insitute (ANSI/AARST).
- “Protocols for Measuring Radon and Radon Decay Products in Homes” (ANSI/AARST MAH)
- "Protocol for Conducting Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurements in Multifamily Buildings" (ANSI/AARST MAMF)
- "Protocols for Measuring Radon and Radon Decay Products in Schools and Large Buildings" (ANSI/AARST MALB)
The development of quality assurance/quality control plans and programs within a business should be based on the below ANSI/AARST standard:
- “Radon Measurement Systems Quality Assurance” (MS-QA)
These above standards are available to view for free via the EPA or AARST/NRPP websites.
Or can be purchased from the AARST or ANSI bookstore; Association of Radon Scientists and Technologist bookstore or American National Standards Institute bookstore
See Info Notice 2020-001 
for more information.
Find a Specialist
To find a certified radon measurement specialist in your area, click on the following list or map:
To find a certified laboratory click on the below link:
Additional Information About Testing