How do I test a New Brunswick home for radon?

Testing your home for radon is straightforward and inexpensive — and in New Brunswick, it's genuinely important. NB has some of the highest radon concentrations in Canada, with roughly 1 in 4 homes exceeding Health Canada's action guideline of 200 Bq/m³. The geology here — glacial till, granite bedrock, and uranium-bearing soils — makes radon a real concern province-wide, not just in certain pockets.

Start with a long-term test kit. These are the gold standard. You place a small passive detector (about the size of a matchbook) in the lowest livable level of your home — typically your basement, or the main floor if you have no basement — and leave it for a minimum of 91 days, ideally over the fall and winter months when windows are closed and the house is sealed. This gives you the most accurate picture of your actual exposure. Kits cost $30–$50 and are available at most hardware stores, some pharmacies, and online through Health Canada's list of certified suppliers. You mail the detector back to the lab when the test period is done, and results come back within a few weeks.

Short-term tests (48–96 hours) exist but are less reliable for NB's variable conditions — they're better used as a quick screening tool before a real estate transaction, not as a definitive measurement.

Where to place the detector matters. Put it in the room where you spend the most time on the lowest level — a finished basement family room, a bedroom if your basement is finished, or the main floor living area. Keep it away from exterior walls, drafts, windows, and high-humidity areas like bathrooms or laundry rooms. Don't place it in a crawl space or unfinished utility area — you want to measure where people actually breathe.

If your result comes back below 200 Bq/m³, you're below Health Canada's action level — no mitigation required, though retesting every few years is a good habit. Between 200–600 Bq/m³, Health Canada recommends mitigation within two years. Above 600 Bq/m³, act within one year. Anything dramatically higher warrants urgent attention.

One thing worth knowing for rural NB homeowners: private wells can act as a radon conduit, introducing radon-dissolved water directly into the home. If you're on a well and get a high air result, consider water testing as well.

If mitigation is needed, the standard fix is sub-slab depressurization — a licensed contractor installs a pipe through the basement floor slab with a small fan that draws radon from beneath the foundation and vents it outside. In New Brunswick, this typically runs $2,500–$5,000 depending on slab thickness, foundation type, and accessibility. It's highly effective, usually dropping levels by 80–90%.

Your practical next step: Pick up a long-term test kit before winter sets in — October through March is the ideal testing window since your home is buttoned up tight. If you're finishing a basement or doing any below-grade renovation, test before you close up the walls. Mitigation is far simpler and cheaper before drywall goes up.

Browse certified radon mitigation contractors in the New Brunswick Construction Network directory if your results come back high and you need a professional to assess your home.