First Alert Radon Gas Test Kit, RD1

Chances are if you are reading reviews for a carbon-based Radon test kit, you already have a general idea of how they work and what they test for. This test kit comes in a small box, it contains a sealed tray of a charcoal-like substance that you sit in the spot where you want to run the test for 48-72 hours. After that time, you put the kit back into the included envelope along with a completed information card, seal it up, and mail it away for testing to a lab. Simple enough.To sum it all up, I was very satisfied with this product from start to finish. Here is my review, focusing on a few key areas that I feel need to be addressed based on reading the product information and other customer reviews:Ease of Use:I found this kit to be as simple to use as it could possibly have been. The only contents of the box are exactly what is necessary. The instructions are short, but thorough enough that they provide you with everything needed to maximize your chances of a successful and accurate test. It goes over the basics of how to use the kit, recommended places to place it, conditions your house needs to be in, etc. Once you've run it for 48-72 hours, you just record the necessary information on the info card, drop it in the envelope, and off it goes to the lab.Hidden/Additional Fees:The price of this kit includes the lab analysis and results reporting, so there are no "hidden" fees. However, the kit gives you the option to pay an additional $10 for "rush processing". I did not opt for this, so I can't comment on how much faster the results would have been, but I assume this would be useful for things like real estate transactions. This test was only for my own information in a house I already own, so speed of results wasn't a top priority for me. The only other potential "hidden" fee is the cost of postage to return the kit. The return envelope states that you must attached 5 first-class postage stamps. So that's a little over $2 of postage required to send the kit in for testing. Not going to break the bank, but I felt it was worth mentioning.Speed of Receiving Results:This is the main area I wanted to focus my review on. There are many other reviews that are complaining about how they sent away their kit and never heard back again, or had a very difficult time interfacing with the lab to get their final results. Like I mentioned above, I sent my kit back without opting for the rush processing service. My test finished on Sunday, January 13th. It was sealed in an envelope and dropped in the mail on the morning of Monday, January 14th. Standard first-class mail. I received my results back in the form of an email with a PDF attachment today, Monday January 21st. Seven days total for results, including the time it spent going from Maryland to Texas in the mail! I couldn't believe it when I received the email. Many others complained of it taking 2-4 weeks to get results, or never hearing back at all. I can only speak for my one experience, but I was extremely satisfied with the speed.Accuracy of Results:I chose to use this carbon-based test kit as a supplement to another kit I had purchased, the Safety Siren Pro Series HS71512 3 Radon Gas Detector. The Safety Siren Pro kit is significantly more expensive, but gives a short term (2 day average) reading as well as a long term (7 day average) reading. I placed both a few feet apart when I ran the test. My Safety Siren digital reader showed a result of .8 pci average over a 7 day test, and the results I received back from this First Alert test kit had a reading of .7 pci. This is extremely close, and made me feel confident that both kits are likely to be accurate.All in all, I rate this product a full five stars based on my experience, and I would have no issue recommending this kit to anyone else looking for a short term radon reading. Follow the simple directions, and you'll be satisfied.

Quick and easy to use with no extra hidden fees (other than shipping it in to the lab).

The instructions were clear and thorough. The test we did was accurate and we did receive results right away. It gave us a peace of mind. The shipping took a bit to get to the lab so I was concerned with timing on the results. I was a bit disappointed that we also had to pay for shipping which the cheapest option was $12. I wanted a one stop shop rather than pay for the kit and for shipping. The results were clear and detailed. They gave next steps in the event radon was detected. They explained the numbers and data and its nice to include for buyers if you’re selling your house

Easy to use radon test kit for home use. The instructions are clear and thorough. It's very simple - follow the instructions, mail in the test, and results will be returned. I was pleased with this kit.

This was very easy to use, and I got my results quickly. Since I have a basement with a sump pump I thought it was a good idea to test. My results came back fine, but a friend's results came back very high. I really think that anyone with a basement should test - a small price to pay for good health.

Excellent quality and the testing service is quick. I purchased about four of these to do various tests throughout my house and the information was helpful for ensuring my radon mitigation system is working properly and keeping the levels as low as I'd like them to be.

This test appears to be cost effective because they tell you that the lab processing cost is included.What they do not tell you is that you have to pay for shipping it to the lab, which ranges from $12.50 to $35, depending on shipping speed. They also tell you after you register that for best results you should pay for expedited testing and shipping, which would mean your $16 test would end up costing you an additional $60 in processing/shipping fees.To add insult to injury I did not receive a shipping label by email after paying the $12.50 shipping cost. Edit: They did eventually email me a shipping label later in the day.Do not buy this product. It is a scam and so far just a waste of almost $30.

easy to use, suggest on line registration, quick and easy