Radon Testing When Buying or Selling a Home in Alberta
By First Choice Radon · Updated September 30, 2026 · 9 min read
Radon testing is easy to overlook in a property sale, and sale timelines rarely leave room for a 91-day test. Here is what Health Canada advises, how short-term tests fit, and the practical options for buyers and sellers in Alberta.
The test length Health Canada describes as the accurate way to find a building’s level.
Share of Alberta homes at or above 200 Bq/m³ in the 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon.
Typical mitigation install time, so a high result can be fixed quickly.
Why radon matters in a property sale
You cannot see, smell or taste radon, and no inspection of the finishes or structure will reveal it. Only a test shows the level. Health Canada calls radon the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers, and it identifies a three-month test as the only way to accurately find out what the level is.
Alberta is a place where the question is worth asking. In the 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon, 16.7% of Alberta homes tested at or above 200 Bq/m³, and the Calgary metro area was at 15.5%. A University of Calgary study of 2,382 homes in Calgary and surrounding areas found Cochrane had the highest average of any area, at 261 Bq/m³.
Radon varies from one building to the next, even side by side. A neighbour’s result or a town average cannot stand in for a test of the property you are buying or selling.
If you are buying
Health Canada’s guidance for buyers is to complete a long-term (91-day) test after you move in. Some real estate professionals also use a hold-back, where part of the sale funds is held until the post-closing test is done. If the result is high, the hold-back can help pay for mitigation.
That leaves three practical options.
Short-term test during the sale
A short-term test gives a quick snapshot within the sale timeline. Follow it with a 91-day test after closing to confirm the true average.
Hold-back or agreement
Ask your realtor or lawyer whether the contract can include a hold-back or a clause covering mitigation if the later 91-day test is high.
Test after possession
Start a 91-day test right after you take possession. If the result is at or above 200 Bq/m³, Health Canada recommends reducing radon within a year.
If you buy a new construction, check whether a capped radon rough-in pipe is present. It is a head start, not protection, because it is not a working system until a fan is added. See our guide to radon rough-ins in Alberta.
If you are selling
Health Canada notes that sellers can test and, if needed, mitigate, so a low radon level can be presented as a selling feature. Testing before you list keeps radon from becoming a late-stage surprise.
Test early
Run a 91-day test before listing. A C-NRPP certified professional places the detector and explains the result.
Mitigate if needed
At or above 200 Bq/m³, a system can usually be installed in about a day. First Choice Radon quotes each job in writing.
Retest and keep the report
We retest after installation to confirm the level has dropped. Keep both reports to share with buyers.
Disclosure rules and contract wording are legal questions. Your realtor or lawyer can advise on what applies to your sale. We are radon professionals, not lawyers.
Where short-term tests fit
Short-term tests last a few days. They are quick, but they only capture a snapshot, and radon moves with weather and air pressure. That is why a short test cannot replace a 91-day test.
First Choice Radon offers short-term snapshot tests for property sales, always followed by a 91-day test. A short result can help you decide whether to push for a longer test, a hold-back or a price conversation. It should not be treated as final in either direction.
- Detector placement. We choose where it goes, starting at the lowest level of the building, and any space can be tested.
- Reporting. You receive your number in Bq/m³, with a plain-language explanation of what it means.
- Follow-up. A 91-day test is $99, reimbursed on a mitigation quote if you choose First Choice Radon.
Buying and selling questions
Should I test for radon when buying a home in Alberta?
Yes. Health Canada advises completing a long-term (91-day) test after you move in, and some buyers add a short-term test during the sale as a first snapshot. Radon varies building by building, so a test of the specific property is the only reliable guide.
Can you get a radon test done during a home sale?
Yes. A short-term test gives a quick snapshot within a sale timeline. It should be followed by a 91-day test, because short-term results do not show your true average.
What is a hold-back for radon?
A hold-back is part of the sale funds held until a post-closing radon test is done. Health Canada notes that if the test is high, the hold-back can pay for mitigation. Your realtor or lawyer can advise on how to set one up.
Should sellers test for radon before listing?
It is a good idea. Health Canada notes that sellers can test, mitigate if needed, and present a low radon level as a selling feature. Testing early also leaves time for mitigation, which usually takes about a day.
What if the radon level is high after I buy?
At or above 200 Bq/m³, Health Canada recommends reducing radon within one year, sooner if it is higher. A C-NRPP certified professional can quote mitigation in writing and retest afterward to confirm the level dropped.
Does a new build have radon protection?
Alberta’s building code lists a radon rough-in for new construction, but the rough-in is only a stub. It is not a working radon system until a fan is added. Only a test shows the level.
How much does radon testing cost for a sale?
A 91-day test with First Choice Radon is $99, including set-up, pick-up and results explained. The $99 is reimbursed on a mitigation quote if you choose us.
Book radon testing for a sale
Short-term snapshot tests and 91-day tests for buyers and sellers across Cochrane, Calgary and surrounding communities. See our pages for Calgary, Cochrane, Okotoks, Airdrie.
Sources: Health Canada: Radon in real estate; Cross-Canada Survey of Radon, 2024; University of Calgary study, 2013 to 2016; Health Canada: Radon.
More radon guides
Radon Rough-In in Alberta New Builds: Code Explained
What a capped radon pipe is, what Alberta’s code requires, and how to activate it.
September 2, 2026Radon Mitigation Installation: What Happens Step by Step
A step-by-step walkthrough of installation day, from the first test to the retest.
November 9, 2026Radon in Cochrane, Alberta: What to Know and How to Test
What studies found in Cochrane, how a 91-day test works, and what to do about a high result.