Air Purifier for Radon: Does It Work? Filters and Limits

Do Air Purifiers Remove Radon Gas?

Not reliably. A portable air purifier should not be treated as a radon mitigation system.

However, a HEPA filter may capture some airborne radon decay particles, particularly particles that have attached themselves to dust and other material in the air. That said, a HEPA filter does not remove radon gas itself.

An activated-carbon filter may help filter certain gases and odors, especially when the filter contains a substantial amount of carbon. However, an ordinary residential air purifier should not be relied upon to solve a radon problem or replace proper testing and mitigation.

A quality air purifier can still be useful as a supplemental indoor-air-quality measure. But if your home has elevated radon levels, the practical solution is to address the source of the problem with a radon reduction system.

Important: The EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. It also recommends considering action when levels are between 2 and 4 pCi/L.

What is Radon Gas and Why Should I Be Concerned?

According to EPA estimates, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.

Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building—homes, offices, and schools—and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.

Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels.

What Radon Levels Are Bad?

The EPA recommends that you should consider fixing if radon levels are between 2 and 4 pCi/L.

However, the EPA recommends fixing the home if levels are above 4 pCi/L.

They also say that reducing radon levels below 2 pCi/L is difficult.

The average indoor radon level is 1.3 pCi/L.

The average outdoor radon level is 0.4 pCi/L.

A Good Air Purifier as a Supplemental Measure

A quality air purifier can still be worthwhile for general indoor air quality. It may help capture dust, smoke particles, pollen, pet dander, and other airborne contaminants. A model with both particle filtration and a substantial activated-carbon filter is a sensible choice.

However, I would not rely on this or any ordinary air purifiers as a solution for elevated radon levels. Think of an air purifier as a supplemental measure, not as a radon mitigation system.

Regardless of your personal choice air filter, it is the carbon that helps in this regard. Just be sure your air purifier of choice has activated carbon as part of its overall filtration. The more the better.

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Levoit Core 400S – Excellent Everyday Indoor-Air Filtration

The Levoit Core 400S is one option I like for everyday indoor-air filtration. It has a three-stage filtration system, app integration, and a replaceable activated-carbon filter. I have used the Levoit brand (among others) and have had zero issues with them.

Austin Air HealthMate Plus – Medical Grade Air Filtration

More expensive, but having substantially more activated carbon is the Austin Air HealthMate Plus. It contains approximately 15 pounds of activated carbon and mineral-based filtration. It uses a more specialized blend that includes potassium-iodide-impregnated carbon and is positioned for VOCs, wildfire smoke, traffic emissions, smog, and chemical exposure.

How Do You Know if there is Radon in Your House?

Radon-zone maps are useful for understanding regional risk, but they cannot tell you whether your particular home has elevated radon (see the radon detector below). Homes with high radon levels have been found in every zone. The only way to know your home’s radon level is to test it.

The only conclusive way to know if there’s radon in your home is to test the air. There are a number of ways to do this. You can hire a professional. Or you can buy a test kit which you send to a lab afterwards. And now there is a home radon detector that you can leave on all the time (developed in Norway by a spin off of CERN of Geneva, Switzerland).

Radon Detector For Your Home

I have used the original Airthings Corentium 223 Home detector for several years. It continuously displays short- and long-term radon averages, which gives me peace of mind. Airthings has since introduced the Corentium Home 2, an updated version with Bluetooth connectivity plus temperature and humidity monitoring.

Update: I’ve had this radon detector for 3 years so far. Wow, I really appreciate constant live updates on my home radon levels. Fortunately for me, the levels are fine. It’s peace of mind.

Traditionally, consumers only had two options: call a professional to test their radon levels, or purchase a single-use charcoal test which was then sent to a lab for the results.

However I’ve discovered a radon detector from a company with scientists working together at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). Their mission, “to offer accurate, user-friendly radon detectors to the masses, making them as common as smoke detectors.”

Their radon detector is my personal choice. Rather than spending money on one-time tests, I prefer the continuous “always on” (live) radon detector from a product I trust. I am comfortable with its design, manufacture, and method of detecting and quantifying radon gas in the home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an air purifier remove radon gas?

An ordinary residential air purifier should not be relied upon to remove radon gas or solve an elevated-radon problem. However some filtration may reduce a portion of the airborne radon decay particles, but an air purifier does not stop radon from entering the home.

Does a HEPA filter remove radon?

No. A HEPA filter is designed to capture particles, not radon gas. It may capture some radon decay products that have attached themselves to airborne particles, but it does not remove the radon gas itself.

Does activated carbon remove radon from the air?

Activated carbon is used in some filters to reduce certain gases and odors. Although it may help, a typical home air purifier with an activated-carbon filter should not be treated as a reliable radon-removal system. Testing and proper mitigation remain the priority when radon levels are elevated.

At what radon level should I take action?

The EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. It also recommends considering action when the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L because there is no known safe level of radon exposure.

Is a radon-zone map enough to determine whether my home is safe?

No. Radon-zone maps show regional potential, but they cannot predict the radon level in a specific house. The only way to know your home’s radon level is to test it.