The Short-Term Testing Process

No short-term test can be performed in less than 48 hours. Ever. The state of Illinois requires a minimum 48 hour testing period, and they mean it. Even the 48 hour test will not be possible if the required Closed Building Conditions (CBCs) are not met for 12 hours prior to the start of the 48 hour testing period. In the event that the CBCs are not met 12 hours prior to the testing period, the test will be extended for a minimum of 12 hours and the first 12 hours of data collected will be disregarded from the calculation of the results.

With that said, let's go to how we get a test done from start to finish.

The Test Process

The order is called in. Generally if we know by 2:00pm the day before, we can have the test on the next day's schedule. Technicians have their field appointments from 9am-3pm Monday through Saturday. When taking the order we will take: your name, the reason for the test, any realtors or site contact information, the address of the property, the home inspector name, the home inspection time and date, any other appointment time preferences, and your report delivery instructions. The nature of the business does not allow us to schedule or guarantee firm appointment times until the day prior to the appointment.

Between 3pm-5pm the day prior to the test set up date, technicians finalize their route and timing. They will do their best to be at home inspections and meet any preferred appointment times. They will call the appropriate party to arrange access to the property. The majority of our technicians have SUPRA keycards, allowing them, with proper permission only, access to the property. If possible, the technician will try to relay the Closed Building Conditions to the residents or person in control of the property. Since they often have no way to contact that person directly, it is important for buyers to tell their agent that they have scheduled a radon inspection so that word may be passed along to the seller's agent, and then to the seller.

The technician arrives at the appointment time, verifies or establishes Closed Building Conditions, and sets the required number of monitors in appropriate locations. Tamper detecting techniques are employed and instructions and postings are left at the residence for the duration of the test. At this point we will know if the minimum testing period will be 48 hours or if it will need to be extended.

The equipment is left at the property.

Between 3pm-5pm the day prior to the pick up, the technician will finalize their route and timing and call the appropriate person to arrange access to the home to retrieve the equipment.

The technician arrives at the home, checks for tampering, retrieves the paperwork, postings, and equipment. They may have a general idea of the results at this point, but no results are final until the data is processed and reviewed.

When the technician arrives back at the office, the report is assembled and sent for review and distribution. Final reports are sent out the same day they are sent to the office. The final paperwork is not always available by 5pm, but it will arrive prior to the start of business the next day.