We’ve been on a mission to make our home healthier and greener—removing harmful household chemicals, starting a compost bin, and improving indoor air quality. One important step we almost overlooked, though, was testing our house for radon.
Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that rises from the ground and can enter homes built over areas with elevated concentrations. Because it’s invisible and tasteless, people don’t notice it until they test. According to the EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, which makes testing and mitigation a serious health priority for homeowners, renters, and anyone responsible for indoor spaces.
Shortly after moving in, Sherry read about radon and urged us to test. I was skeptical at first—thinking it was an unnecessary expense—but we bought an inexpensive test kit for about $15 and set it out in an out-of-the-way area of the house. The kit required only a few days of exposure before mailing it to the lab with the prepaid packaging provided. A couple weeks later we expected a clean bill of health and confirmation that our levels were below the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L.
Instead, the results showed 10 pCi/L of radon in our home—more than twice the EPA’s recommended action level. That result was alarming; radon was quietly entering our living space at a dangerous concentration. We contacted a certified radon mitigation professional recommended by our local radon office to confirm the finding and plan remediation.
The mitigation approach for our house focused on sealing and depressurizing the crawl space. Exposed soil in the crawl space was covered with an airtight plastic membrane to prevent radon emissions from rising into the living areas. A fan-driven ventilation system was installed with piping that draws radon-laden air from beneath the membrane and vents it safely above the roofline, using an exhaust point routed through the attic and out of a roof-mounted vent. This creates a pressure differential that reduces radon infiltration into the home.
The entire mitigation system cost approximately $2,100. While that was a significant expense right after closing on a house, the investment delivered immediate peace of mind. After the system had been running for several months, we retested the indoor air. The new reading came back at 1.0 pCi/L—more than a tenfold reduction in indoor radon and lower than typical outdoor background readings. The system proved effective at reducing our family’s exposure.
We continue to test annually to ensure the mitigation system is functioning properly and to detect any changes in radon levels over time. Regular testing is quick, inexpensive, and can identify problems before they become serious. If you prioritize indoor air quality, testing for radon is one of the simplest and most important steps you can take to protect the health of your household—especially if you live in an area with known radon potential or have children and pets.
In short: don’t skip radon testing. It’s an affordable safety check that can reveal a hidden hazard and lead to effective mitigation. For anyone concerned about lung health, indoor air quality, or long-term wellness in the home, a radon test and, if necessary, a certified mitigation system are practical, proven ways to reduce risk and improve the safety of your living environment.