FAQ

Should new homes be tested?

Direct answer

Absolutely. New construction in Ohio Zone 1 areas should test within 90 days of occupancy. Many builders now install passive radon vent stacks; activating one (adding a fan) is the cheapest path to mitigation if levels test high.

More detail

EPA says every new home should be tested after occupancy, even if it was built radon-resistant. Many builders include radon-resistant features in some of their homes, typically a gravel layer and plastic sheeting under the slab, sealed openings, and a passive 3-inch or 4-inch PVC vent pipe routed from under the slab up through the roof. A passive pipe relies on natural draft alone, and EPA rates passive subslab suction at typical reductions of 30 to 70 percent, compared with 50 to 99 percent once a fan is added. Builders are not required to test or warrant the post-construction radon level, so new-home buyers should plan to test within 90 days of move-in. If the test reads above 4.0 pCi/L, the existing passive stack is the foundation for a fan-activation install at $700-$1,200 (much cheaper than installing a new system from scratch on a home without RRNC provisions). Cincinnati builder pattern: whether a new Mason, West Chester, or Loveland home has a passive radon pipe varies by builder and model, and a completed home is not necessarily tested unless the buyer requests it. Buyers should add radon testing as a contingency in any new-construction purchase contract; the builder is generally not obligated to mitigate post-occupancy unless contracted up front.

Authoritative sources

  • US EPA

    Hamilton, Butler, and Warren counties sit in EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest-potential classification; Clermont, Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties are Zone 2.

  • EPA Citizen's Guide to Radon

    EPA recommends mitigation above 4.0 pCi/L and consideration of mitigation between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L.

  • Ohio Department of Health

    Ohio Radon Program guidance on testing, mitigation, and contractor licensure.

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