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Radon

Radon testing

A colourless, odourless radioactive gas that moves out of the ground and into houses. The only way to know is to measure — by someone certified to do it properly. $150 with your inspection.

Why it matters

You cannot see it, smell it or taste it.

Radon forms as uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It seeps up through the ground and collects inside buildings, entering through foundation cracks, sump pits, crawlspace floors, and gaps where pipes and wiring pass through. The EPA identifies it as a leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, second only to smoking.

Levels vary enormously from one house to the next — two homes on the same street can measure very differently, because what matters is the soil directly beneath that foundation and how that particular building draws air up out of the ground. A neighbour's result tells you almost nothing about yours. Across south central Kentucky the karst limestone geology makes house-specific measurement more useful still.

The numbers

What the results mean

4.0 pCi/L and above

The EPA action level. At or above this figure, EPA recommends fixing the building. In a real estate transaction this is normally where mitigation gets negotiated.

2.0 to 4.0 pCi/L

Below the action level, but EPA suggests considering mitigation in this range — particularly in homes with young children or anyone already at elevated risk of lung disease.

Below 2.0 pCi/L

No action recommended. Retesting every couple of years is still sensible, and after any major renovation, foundation work, or change to the heating and cooling system.

How a real estate test is run

Closed-building conditions, 48 hours, lowest livable level.

  • Closed-building conditions start 12 hours before the test. Windows and exterior doors stay shut except for normal entry and exit. Heating or cooling runs normally for the season. Whole-house fans and window units that draw outside air stay off.
  • The device sits for at least 46 hours under ANSI/AARST MAH-2023, with 48 hours or more preferred. Ending the test on a 24-hour increment accounts for the way radon entry rises and falls between day and night.
  • Placement follows the standard. Lowest livable level, at least 12 inches from an exterior wall, 36 inches from a window, and 20 inches above the floor — away from drafts, heat and direct sun, all of which skew a reading.
  • Interference invalidates the test. Opening the house, moving the device, or running ventilation during the measurement period means the result no longer represents the building, and the test has to be repeated.

If a result comes back high

This is a fixable problem.

The standard fix is an active soil depressurization system: a fan and a sealed pipe that pull soil gas from beneath the foundation and discharge it above the roofline before it can reach the living space. These systems work across foundation types and typically reduce levels by 80 to 99 percent. EPA guidance is to retest no sooner than 24 hours after the system is running and within 30 days of installation, then every two years to confirm it is still doing its job.

Mitigation work is a separate trade from measurement, and for good reason — the person who measures should not be the person selling you the fix. If a result comes back elevated I will explain what it means and what your options are, and point you toward qualified mitigation contractors. I do not install systems.

Credentials

Check that your radon tester is actually certified.

This is worth saying plainly, because it is the part of radon most buyers never think to ask about. Radon measurement is a proficiency-certified discipline, not something that comes automatically with a home inspector licence. Placement, closed-building conditions, device calibration, chain of custody and quality control all follow a published national standard, and a measurement taken outside that standard is not a measurement — it is a number.

Not everyone offering radon testing holds a current certification. Before you pay anyone to test the house you are buying, ask two questions: what is your NRPP or NRSB certification number, and which standard do you measure to? A qualified professional will answer both without hesitating, and you can verify a certification number directly with the National Radon Proficiency Program.

NRPP #116187

Radon Measurement Professional, certified through the National Radon Proficiency Program and valid through August 2028. Verifiable by number.

ANSI/AARST MAH-2023

Every measurement follows the current national consensus standard for placement, duration, closed-building conditions and quality control.

Measurement only

I test and report. I do not sell or install mitigation systems, so nothing about my result puts money in my pocket either way.

Pricing

Radon testing

$150 — with your inspection

Placed at your home inspection and retrieved after the measurement period. The usual choice during a real estate transaction.

$225 — standalone visit

A separate trip, for homeowners who are not buying or selling and want to know where their house stands.

What you get

The measured result, what it means against the EPA action level, and a plain recommendation. No mitigation upsell, because I do not sell mitigation.

Discounts apply to the base inspection fee only, never to add-on services. Multi-unit buildings are quoted per ground-contact unit.

Questions

Common questions

What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It has no colour, no smell and no taste, so the only way to know whether a home has elevated levels is to measure them. It moves up through the soil and enters a building through foundation cracks, sump pits, crawlspace floors, and gaps around service penetrations.
What level is considered too high?
The EPA action level is 4.0 pCi/L. At or above that, EPA recommends fixing the building. Between 2 and 4 pCi/L, EPA suggests considering mitigation. There is no level considered risk-free, but mitigation reliably brings most homes well below the action level.
Where does the measurement go?
In the lowest livable level of the home — a finished basement, or the first floor if there is no basement. An unfinished crawlspace does not count as livable unless it is going to be converted. Placement rules under ANSI/AARST MAH-2023 keep the device at least 12 inches from exterior walls, 36 inches from windows, and 20 inches above the floor.
How long does a test take?
A short-term real estate test runs a minimum of 46 hours, and 48 hours or more is preferred. The house has to be kept under closed-building conditions — windows and exterior doors shut except for normal entry and exit, and the heating or cooling system run normally for the season — starting at least 12 hours before the test and continuing throughout.
Should a high result kill the deal?
No. Radon is one of the more fixable problems a house can have. An active soil depressurization system vents soil gas from beneath the foundation to above the roofline, and these systems typically cut levels by 80 to 99 percent. A result at or above 4.0 pCi/L is usually handled as a negotiation item, not a reason to walk.
Is radon a problem in this part of Kentucky?
Radon potential varies house to house, even between neighbours on the same street, because it depends on the soil and rock directly beneath the structure and on how the building interacts with it. Karst limestone geology of the kind found across south central Kentucky is one reason testing the specific house matters more than any map.
Are you certified?
Yes — NRPP Radon Measurement Professional, certification #116187, valid through August 2028, and every measurement follows ANSI/AARST MAH-2023. Kentucky's Board of Radon Safety has not yet promulgated state registration regulations, so national certification plus written measurement procedures is the standard that applies here. Ask any radon tester for their certification number; not everyone offering the service holds one.

Add radon to your inspection.

$150 placed at your inspection, $225 as a standalone visit. Certified, standard-compliant, and no mitigation upsell.

Book your inspection

Sources. U.S. EPA radon program and Radon Standards of Practice; ANSI/AARST MAH-2023, Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Homes; National Radon Program Services, Kansas State University. Certification verified through the National Radon Proficiency Program.

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