Did You Know Radon Is the #2 Cause of Lung Cancer in the U.S.?
What radon is, where it comes from, and why testing during a home inspection is one of the simplest health decisions you can make.
You can’t see it. You can’t smell it. You can’t taste it.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It seeps into homes through foundation cracks, gaps around pipes, and even porous concrete — and it has no warning signs until it’s caused serious damage to the people living inside.
The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States every year. Among non-smokers, it’s the leading cause of lung cancer. For smokers who are also exposed to elevated radon levels, the combined risk increases dramatically.
The good news? Testing is simple, affordable, and takes place during your regular home inspection.
Where Does Radon Come From?
Radon is produced when uranium in the soil breaks down into radium, which then decays into radon gas. That gas rises through the ground and, when it’s outdoors, disperses harmlessly into the atmosphere.
The problem starts when that gas enters an enclosed space. In homes, radon can accumulate in basements, crawl spaces, and lower floors — especially in homes with poor ventilation or significant below-grade living areas. Radon can also enter through well water and be released when you run the tap, shower, or wash dishes.
It affects new homes and old homes. Rural properties and suburban neighborhoods. Brick homes and wood-framed construction. No home is automatically immune.
How Is Radon Measured?
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The EPA recommends taking action to mitigate radon in any home with a reading at or above 4.0 pCi/L — and even considers mitigation between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L advisable where practical.
For context, the average indoor radon level in the United States is around 1.3 pCi/L. The average outdoor level is about 0.4 pCi/L.
A professional radon test gives you a number you can act on.
Radon Air Testing vs. Radon Water Testing — What’s the Difference?
Radon Air Testing is the most common type. A certified device is placed inside the home (typically in the lowest livable level) for a defined period. The results tell you the average airborne radon concentration in that space. This test is the standard recommendation for virtually all home purchases.
Radon Water Testing is specifically for homes on private well water. If your water source is a well rather than a municipal supply, radon dissolved in the water can be released into the air when you use it. Water testing detects this specific exposure pathway. Homes in areas with known radon geology and private wells should consider both tests.
At Focused Property Inspections, we offer both. They can be added to your general home inspection in a single appointment.
What Happens If Radon Is Elevated?
Elevated radon is not a dealbreaker — it’s a negotiation point. Radon mitigation systems (typically a sub-slab depressurization system installed by a certified contractor) are effective, relatively affordable, and well understood. A standard mitigation installation usually costs between $800 and $2,500 depending on the home’s construction, and it reduces radon levels significantly in most cases.
Buyers can request radon mitigation as part of their repair negotiation. Sellers who want to be proactive can test and mitigate before listing to remove the issue from the equation entirely.
For Agents: Make Radon Testing a Default Recommendation
Radon testing is one of the lowest-cost, highest-value services in the home inspection toolkit. A radon air test typically adds less than $200 to an inspection — and the liability exposure of not recommending it is real.
If your buyer is purchasing a home in an area with known radon geology (much of North Carolina’s Piedmont and mountain regions, as well as significant portions of Maine and New Hampshire carry elevated radon risk), recommending this test isn’t just good practice. It’s part of your duty to inform.
One Appointment. Complete Peace of Mind.
Focused Property Inspections offers radon air testing and radon water testing as add-ons to any residential inspection. Results are included in the same-day report package. We’ll tell you what the number means and what your options are if action is needed.
Schedule your inspection and add radon testing today:
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