Test your home for radon
One-time · best done November–February
Why it matters
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that seeps up from the soil into homes — you can't see it or smell it, and the only house that has a radon problem is one that's been tested and confirmed. Your neighbor's result doesn't predict yours.
your county is in EPA Zone 2 — moderate predicted levels, but zone maps predict averages, not houses. Plenty of Zone 2 homes test high.
Winter is the right time to test: closed-up houses give the most honest reading.
What skipping it costs
$0–$1,500
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the US, and the only way to know your number is to test. The dollar cost of skipping this is zero — right up until a home inspector finds it during your sale and it becomes a $1,500 closing-table concession instead of a $15 kit on your timeline.
Two ways to get it done
Do it yourself
You'll need: Short-term charcoal radon test kit (~$15–$30, hardware store or state radon program).
- Buy a short-term charcoal kit. Many state radon programs mail them free or cheap — check yours first.
- Place it in the lowest lived-in level, 20+ inches off the floor, away from drafts, exterior walls, and humidity (not the bathroom or kitchen).
- Keep windows and doors closed (normal coming and going is fine) for the 2–7 day test window per kit instructions.
- Mail it to the lab the same day you close the test. Results come back in about a week.
- Reading the number: under 2 pCi/L, you're done — retest in a few years or after any foundation work. 2–4, consider a long-term test. 4+, retest now; if it's still 4+, get mitigation quotes.
Hire it out
$125–$300National fair range — local labor moves this number.
Professional testing ($125–$300) makes sense in two cases: a real-estate transaction (required chain of custody), or confirming a high DIY result with a continuous monitor before you spend on mitigation.
If you do need mitigation, that's a hire — a fan-driven sub-slab suction system, typically $800–$1,500 installed, and it genuinely works (routinely cuts levels 80–90%). The one rule: never let the company that tested sell you the fix without an independent retest. Testing and mitigating under one roof is the industry's built-in conflict of interest.
Ask the tech
- Is this a continuous radon monitor test, and how long will it run? (48 hours minimum.)
- Are you certified through NRPP or your state program?
- If levels are high, do you also sell mitigation? (If yes — get the retest from someone who doesn't.)
Red flags you're being upsold
- A mitigation quote from the same visit as the test, before a second test confirms.
- Mitigation quotes over $2,500 for a standard single-suction system — typical installs run $800–$1,500.
- Fear language about immediate danger. Radon risk is about years of exposure, not this week.
Second opinion time: Always retest before mitigating if the first result is between 4 and 8 pCi/L — levels swing with seasons and weather.
The call
DIY the $15 test this winter. If it reads 4+ pCi/L, retest, then hire mitigation — that part is not a DIY.