Radon and Radon Testing
- Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. It can enter homes from the ground and build up to dangerous levels.
- Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., responsible for about 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year.
- Radon-induced lung cancer can be easily prevented by testing homes and mitigating them when necessary.
- Radon is colorless and odorless. Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon.
- EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.
- Elevated radon has been found in every state, so testing is important wherever your home is.
One in 15 U.S. homes are estimated to have elevated radon levels.
Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon.
Radon testing is inexpensive, quick, and easy. Learn how to find a radon test kit.
Radon Mitigation
- If the radon level in a home is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, EPA recommends fixing the home.
- Fixing a home is straightforward and uses simple materials and technology. Installing a mitigation system costs about the same as many common home repairs.
- When installed properly, mitigation systems reliably reduce indoor radon levels to below EPA’s action level.
- Find a qualified radon mitigation contractor who can design and install a radon mitigation system that’s right for your property.
- Radon mitigation can save lives and give homeowners peace of mind.
Radon and Real Estate Transactions
- Radon notification and disclosure laws differ by state and locality.
- New homes can be built with radon-resistant features.
- Buyers can ask home sellers for radon test results and information about any radon mitigation system that may be installed.
- Buyers can also perform their own tests.
- REALTORS® can encourage sellers to test their home before putting it on the market and, if necessary, lower their radon levels. Short-term radon tests are available.
- Most radon mitigation systems do not require major changes to a home and are about the same cost as other home repairs.
- A radon mitigation system can boost confidence in the safety of your home.
Radon in Pennsylvania
How to Test Your Home
Testing is the only way to know if your home has elevated levels of radon. An easy-to-use home test kit can be purchased at hardware or home improvement stores for about $20 to $30. You may also hire a state-certified testing company. Because radon levels are often highest in the basement, placing your test there is a good idea. However, radon levels can also be high above ground, even in homes without basements, so the ground floor is also a good location to test
How a Radon Reduction System Works
Monitor the System Over Time
Periodically look at the U-tube manometer that has been installed on the PVC piping of your system to make sure the fan is running. The fan is running if the levels of fluid on each side of the glass tube are uneven. If the fluid levels on each side of the glass tubing are even with each other, the fan may not be working properly or may be off completely. In this case, you should call your installer to have them look at the fan and system.
The second aspect of monitoring your system is performing a radon test, generally in the basement and preferably during the heating season, once every two years.
How DEP Can Help
Newborn Testing Program
Through an EPA-funded program, hospitals give parents of newborn children a packet of information which includes a coupon for a free radon test kit from the DEP.
Test Results Confirmation: Free Kits
- All Pennsylvanians who’ve tested their homes or other buildings for radon and found screening levels greater than 100 picocuries per liter may receive a free short-term confirmation test kit from the DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection. For this free kit, please call 800-237-2366 or 717-783-3594.
- If an active (fan-powered) radon mitigation system has been installed in your home within the last year, you may receive a free, long-term radon test kit (Alpha Track Detector). Send:
- Proof of system installation
- Copy of post-mitigation test result below 4 picocuries per liter
to:
Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Radiation Protection
P.O. Box 8469
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8469
Helpful Resources for Homeowners
- The EPA radon website(opens in a new tab) has a lot of information on radon’s health hazards and radon levels, testing, and mitigation.
- The EPA has great information for parents concerned about radon at their children’s school(opens in a new tab).
- The National Academy of Sciences publication on Risk Assessment of Radon in Drinking Water(opens in a new tab) is the most recent authoritative work on the issue of radon in drinking water and its health effects. Scroll down and read the Executive Summary.
- The U.S. Geological Survey provides some great basic information on radon and geology(opens in a new tab).
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