How to Test Radon in a Vacation or Second Home
Why Vacation Homes Are Higher Risk
Vacation homes have radon characteristics that differ from primary residences:
Long periods of sealed closure: A mountain cabin closed from October through May accumulates radon in a sealed environment with no ventilation. Levels during closure may be significantly higher than during active occupancy — and the structure retains elevated levels for hours after you arrive.
High-radon geography: Mountain cabins, lakefront properties, and rural retreats are disproportionately located in high-radon geological zones — the Colorado Rockies, the Appalachians, the Minnesota lakeshore. These are beautiful places to live, but uranium-rich geology underlies many of them.
Ground-level and basement sleeping: Vacation homes often have bedrooms in walk-out basements or ground-level rooms in contact with soil — the highest-radon spaces in any structure.
Testing Approach: Two Options
Option 1: Long-term test (if you use the property regularly)
Deploy a 90-day alpha track detector at the start of a season when you'll occupy the property for at least a few weeks of that period. The result reflects a mix of occupied and unoccupied conditions — a realistic picture of actual exposure.
This requires someone to retrieve the detector and mail it at the end of the 90-day period. If you're not at the property regularly, this is complicated.
Option 2: Short-term test during a stay
Arrive at the property; ventilate for 2–4 hours (open all windows and let it air out). Close everything up for 12 hours. Deploy the short-term test kit. Run for 48–96 hours under closed-house conditions. Mail immediately at the end of the stay.
This gives you a result reflecting the closed-house conditions of your typical stay — useful for making a mitigation decision.
What to Do With the Result
Below 2.0 pCi/L: Low risk. Retest every 2 years.
2.0–4.0 pCi/L: Moderate. Mitigation is optional but worth considering if you use the property extensively. Ventilate on arrival.
Above 4.0 pCi/L: Mitigate. The same sub-slab depressurization systems used in primary homes work in vacation properties. The challenge is contractor access if the property is remote — plan ahead, as some rural areas have limited contractor availability.
Remote and Rural Properties
If the vacation home is in a rural area with limited contractor availability:
- Search NRPP's national contractor directory by zip code
- Consider contractors from the nearest metro who travel to rural areas
- Some contractors in high-radon resort areas (Summit County CO, the Poconos, Lake Minnetonka area) specifically serve vacation home markets
Remote properties may also have limited electrical access for the fan — a battery backup or solar power source may be needed if the property doesn't have full-time electrical service.
Find a certified mitigator → | How to test for radon yourself →
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I test for radon in a vacation home?
Yes — especially if it's in a high-radon state (CO, PA, MN, OH, IA, WI, IN, IL) and has a basement or ground-floor bedrooms. Vacation homes sit sealed for months at a time, creating conditions for radon buildup. A long-term test during occupancy gives the most accurate result.
What type of radon test is best for a vacation home?
A long-term alpha track test (90–365 days) is ideal if the home is used regularly over multiple seasons. For a home only used a few weeks per year, a short-term test during an occupancy period under closed-house conditions is more practical.
Can I test a vacation home while it's unoccupied?
A test run while the home is sealed and unoccupied will produce higher readings than during active use — which actually makes it a useful worst-case scenario. For the most actionable result, test during a typical stay when the home is used as you normally use it.
Find a Certified Mitigator Near You
Search our directory of NRPP and NRSB certified radon mitigators, verified against official databases.
Find a Mitigator →