Is radon a problem in your Columbus home? Find out here.
Every county around Columbus is EPA Radon Zone 1, and Franklin County's 16,142 pre-mitigation tests from 2008 to 2017 had an estimated mean of 9.5 pCi/L, more than twice the EPA action level. Radon gives no warning signs, so the checks below start from what you know about your test and your house.
Test result at or above 4.0 pCi/L
EmergencyLikely cause: At or above the EPA action level. Not an emergency, but a house to fix this season: risk builds with the level and the years of exposure.
Call or text us today to set up the inspection an Ohio proposal requires; in a home sale, 4.0 or higher means fix the home under Ohio's testing strategy.
Test result between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L
UrgentLikely cause: The EPA recommends considering a fix in this band. A summer short-term result here is the weakest basis for a decision.
Run a long-term test of more than 90 days across the heating season, or a second short-term test with the house closed, then call us with both numbers.
Last test is more than two years old
UrgentLikely cause: The Ohio Department of Health recommends retesting single-family homes every two years. Houses change, and so do their foundations and sump covers.
Order a free kit through ohio.radon.com or buy one for $15 to $30, and place it in the lowest level you use following Ohio's placement rules.
Someone starts sleeping or working on the lowest level
UrgentLikely cause: The EPA advises retesting on a lower level when a household starts using it regularly, since that is usually where readings run highest.
Test the new bedroom, office, or playroom before it is used every day; call us if the result is 4.0 pCi/L or higher.
Recent basement finish, waterproofing, or new sump
UrgentLikely cause: Significant renovation can change how soil gas enters, and ODH recommends retesting after it. A sump pit left open or loosely covered is a direct path from the soil.
Once the work is done and the house is back to normal, test under closed-house conditions; if a system is installed, leave it running for the test.
Buying or selling a Columbus home
Schedule serviceLikely cause: Ohio's disclosure form asks sellers about known radon, and most buyers test during inspection. Sale tests must run at least 48 hours with an Ohio-licensed tester.
Call us at the start of the inspection period so testing, and a written scope if needed, fit inside the contract deadlines.
Home has a passive radon pipe but no fan
Schedule serviceLikely cause: A builder's rough-in relies on natural draft, which the EPA rates at 30 to 70 percent reduction versus 50 to 99 for a fan system.
Test the house; if it reads 4.0 pCi/L or more, call us about activation, which runs $700 to $1,200 on our price list.
A neighbor tested high, or low
Schedule serviceLikely cause: Houses side by side can read very differently because foundations, cracks, sumps, and air pressure differ. A neighbor's number says little about yours.
Run your own test in the lowest level you use; a kit settles the question for your house.
Radon gauge reads level or the alarm is on
UrgentLikely cause: Ohio requires a monitor on every active system. A U-tube with level liquid, or a tripped alarm, usually means the fan has stopped pulling.
Check that the labeled breaker is on and the fan is running, then call us for a repair visit and retest after the fix.
Private well on a rural lot
Schedule serviceLikely cause: Ohio's private water rules set no radon limit, so wells are not tested for it unless the owner asks. Soil gas is usually the larger source.
Test the air first; if it is elevated, add a water test before choosing a treatment.
Before you call
What to check yourself
- 1
Find your last test
Look for any radon report in your closing papers or house files. If there is none, or it is more than two years old, test again. Ohio homeowners can order a free kit through ohio.radon.com.
- 2
Identify your foundation types
Note whether you have a basement, a slab, a crawl space, or a mix. Ohio's protocol calls for testing each foundation type, so a split-level with a basement and a crawl needs more than one device.
- 3
Look for an existing pipe
A 3- or 4-inch PVC pipe rising from the floor through a closet or utility room may be a builder's passive rough-in. If it has no fan and no gauge, it is passive, and it may only need a fan if the house tests high.
- 4
Place the test correctly
Close windows and exterior doors 12 hours ahead. Set the device in the lowest regularly used room, 20 inches to 6 feet off the floor, a foot from exterior walls, and 10 feet from the sump, never in a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. For a sale, use an Ohio-licensed tester.
When to call us
Call or text us if your result is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, if you are under contract on a Central Ohio home and the deadlines are running, if your system's gauge or alarm says the fan has stopped, or if a result between 2.0 and 4.0 has you weighing a fix. The first conversation costs nothing, and a written proposal follows the inspection Ohio requires.
Ready to get started?
Radon mitigation across Greater Columbus and Central Ohio since 2019, with every install performed by an NRPP-credentialed local mitigator. Mon-Sat 8am-7pm.