Is radon a problem in your Columbus home? Find out here.
Columbus sits in Ohio Radon Zone 1, the EPA's highest-risk classification, because Franklin County's Devonian limestone and shale geology releases radon as uranium decays. Franklin County homes test above 4.0 pCi/L at roughly the same rate as the Cincinnati metro, with about 1 in 3 tested homes exceeding the EPA action level per Ohio Department of Health data.
Test result above 4.0 pCi/L
EmergencyLikely cause: A reading at or above the EPA action level. Franklin County homes in this range carry meaningful lung-cancer risk that mitigation can eliminate within a week.
Call our Columbus dispatch line today to schedule an on-site assessment and get a fixed-price mitigation quote; most installs happen within 5 business days of the call.
Test result between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L
UrgentLikely cause: EPA recommends considering mitigation in this range, especially with children, smokers, or basement sleeping areas. A long-term alpha-track test clarifies the true annual average.
Order a 90-day alpha-track test to confirm the annual average, then call us with the result; if it lands above 4.0 pCi/L or stays elevated with household risk factors, we will write a same-day quote.
Last test is more than 5 years old
UrgentLikely cause: Franklin County freeze-thaw cycles crack slabs on a 5 to 10 year timeline, opening new radon entry paths. Levels that were fine in 2019 may no longer reflect your home's current exposure.
Pick up an EPA-approved short-term test kit at any Columbus-area hardware store and place it in your lowest livable level this week; results arrive in 5 to 7 days.
New baby or pregnancy in the household
UrgentLikely cause: Developing lungs absorb more radon-daughter alpha radiation per unit of exposure. If your last test was more than a year ago, the household risk profile has changed.
Schedule a 48-hour professional radon test now, before the baby arrives; if results come back at or above 2.0 pCi/L, call us for a same-week mitigation assessment.
Recent renovation or basement remodel
UrgentLikely cause: Finished basements, new sump pits, rim-joist insulation, and spray foam all shift air-pressure dynamics and can raise or lower radon equilibrium meaningfully.
Wait 30 to 90 days for the home to reach a new pressure equilibrium, then place a fresh 48-hour test in the lowest occupied level; call us if the result is at or above 4.0 pCi/L.
Buying or selling a Columbus home
Schedule serviceLikely cause: FHA, VA, and most conventional lenders require a fresh ANSI/AARST-conforming test within the past 6 months, and any result above 4.0 pCi/L triggers a mitigation contingency.
Call us at the start of your inspection contingency window; we deliver a credentialed CRM test result within 48 hours and can complete mitigation within 5 business days if needed.
Home has a passive radon stack but no fan
Schedule serviceLikely cause: Post-2010 Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, and Lewis Center subdivisions commonly have builder-installed passive stacks that rarely hold below 4.0 pCi/L without an active fan.
Test first with a 48-hour kit; if results are at or above 4.0 pCi/L, call us for a fan-activation quote, typically $700 to $1,200 and a 4-hour install.
Neighbor in Franklin County tested high
Schedule serviceLikely cause: Adjacent Columbus homes can differ by an order of magnitude because foundation type and sealing vary house-to-house, even on the same block. Your neighbor's result does not predict yours.
Order your own 48-hour test; hardware-store kits cost $15 to $30 and settle the question conclusively for your specific home and foundation.
Basement converted to living space
UrgentLikely cause: Converting a Columbus basement to a bedroom, home office, or playroom significantly increases household-weighted radon exposure because occupied hours in the highest-radon zone multiply.
Test the newly occupied space before regular use; if the result is at or above 4.0 pCi/L, call us for a same-week mitigation assessment before anyone sleeps or works there regularly.
Sump pump replaced or newly installed
UrgentLikely cause: Sump pits are one of the primary radon entry paths in Franklin County homes. Any modification to the pit or lid changes the soil-gas infiltration profile and can raise levels sharply.
Retest within 30 days of the work; if levels are elevated, call us to assess whether the pit lid needs sealing or the mitigation system needs tuning.
Before you call
What to check yourself
- 1
Check your last test date
Find any radon test records for your home. If none exist, or if the last test was more than 2 years ago, order a fresh test. Ohio Department of Health distributes free kits each January through Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health.
- 2
Identify your foundation type
Pre-1950 stone-basement housing in Clintonville, Bexley, and Grandview Heights tests highest in Franklin County (often 6 to 12 pCi/L pre-mitigation). Newer slab-on-grade homes in Dublin and Powell typically test lower, though still Zone 1. Foundation type determines mitigation approach and cost range.
- 3
Check for a passive radon stack
Look for a 4-inch PVC pipe rising through a utility-room or closet chase, often capped at the top. Post-2010 Franklin, Delaware, Licking, and Fairfield County homes built under Ohio RRNC code commonly have one. If it is there but has no fan, you have a passive stack that may need activation.
- 4
Place a test in the lowest occupied level
Put the test kit 20 or more inches off the floor in the lowest livable space, away from drafts and exterior doors, with windows and doors closed for 12 hours before and during the test. For real-estate transactions, use a NRPP-credentialed professional with a continuous radon monitor rather than a hardware-store canister kit.
When to call us
Call our Columbus dispatch line if your test result is above 4.0 pCi/L, if you are under contract on a Franklin County home and the clock is running, or if you have a reading in the 2.0 to 4.0 pCi/L range with children, smokers, or basement sleeping areas in the household. Same-day phone consultations are free, and most Columbus and Central Ohio homeowners get a written fixed-price quote within the same business day after the on-site assessment.
Ready to get started in Columbus?
NRPP-credentialed Columbus radon mitigation team serving Greater Columbus and Central Ohio since 2019. Mon-Sat 8am-7pm.