OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”963″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]
How to Test Your Home for Radon
[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”5″ css=”” accent_color=”#68DCB9″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”35″][vc_column width=”1/3″][info-box-shortcode icon=”fa fa-solid fa-toolbox” buttontitle=”Do-it-yourself Radon Testing” buttonlink=”https://www.epa.gov/radon/how-do-i-get-radon-test-kit-are-they-free” targetlink=”true”]
DIY Test Kits
Buy at hardware stores, local health departments, or online. Make retail kits have the New Jersey certification number (starting with “MEB9”).[/info-box-shortcode][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][info-box-shortcode icon=”fa fa-solid fa-magnifying-glass” buttontitle=”Find a Businesses to Test for Radon” buttonlink=”https://njems.nj.gov/DataMiner/DM_REPORT_REVISED.aspx?RN=Certified+Radon+Measurement+Business” targetlink=”true”]
Hire a Professional
Businesses can come to your home to test and some businesses also have an option to mail radon devices to homeowners.[/info-box-shortcode][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text css=””]
Radon Potential Map
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”878″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” css=””][vc_btn title=”Radon Potential & Your Municipality” color=”primary” align=”center” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-magnifying-glass” css=”” add_icon=”true” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeptest.nj.gov%2Frpp%2Fradon%2Fradon-tier-assignment-report|target:_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_column_text css=””]
Radon FAQ for Homeowners
[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”5″ css=”” accent_color=”#68DCB9″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion color=”white” spacing=”1″ c_icon=”chevron” c_position=”right” active_section=”-1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”What is radon?” tab_id=”what-is-radon”][vc_column_text css=””]Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium found in soil and rock. It’s invisible, odorless, and tasteless, so special tests are needed to detect it. Radon can enter homes through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, water supplies, and sump pits. Radon, like other radioactive materials, undergoes radioactive decay that forms decay products. Radon and its decay products release radioactive energy that can damage lung tissue.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Why is radon a concern?” tab_id=”why-is-radon-a-concern”][vc_column_text css=””]Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The more radon you are exposed to, and the longer the exposure, the greater the risk of eventually developing lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year in the United States. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.
Radon Risk for Smokers
| Radon Level | If 1,000 people who smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime*… | The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to**… | WHAT TO DO: Stop smoking and… |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 pCi/L (740 Bq/m3) | About 260 people could get lung cancer | 250 times the risk of drowning | Fix your home |
| 10 pCi/L (370 Bq/m3) | About 150 people could get lung cancer | 200 times the risk of dying in a home fire | Fix your home |
| 8 pCi/L (300 Bq/m3) | About 120 people could get lung cancer | 30 times the risk of dying in a fall | Fix your home |
| 4 pCi/L (150 Bq/m3) | About 62 people could get lung cancer | 5 times the risk of dying in a car crash | Fix your home |
| 2 pCi/L(75 Bq/m3) | About 32 people could get lung cancer | 6 times the risk of dying from poison | Consider fixing between 2 and 4 pCi/L (75-150 Bq/m3) |
| 1.3 pCi/L (50 Bq/m3) | About 20 people could get lung cancer | (Average indoor radon level) | (Reducing radon levels below 2 pCi/L (75 Bq/m3) is difficult.) |
| 0.4 pCi/L (15 Bq/m3) | About 3 people could get lung cancer | (Average outdoor radon level) | |
| Note: If you are a former smoker, your risk may be lower. * Lifetime risk of lung cancer deaths from EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). ** Comparison data calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Reports. |
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Radon Risk If You Have Never Smoked
| Radon Level | If 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime*… | The risk of cancer from radon exposure compares to**… | WHAT TO DO: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 pCi/L (740 Bq/m3) | About 36 people could get lung cancer | 35 times the risk of drowning | Fix your home |
| 10 pCi/L (370 Bq/m3) | About 18 people could get lung cancer | 20 times the risk of dying in a home fire | Fix your home |
| 8 pCi/L (300 Bq/m3) | About 15 people could get lung cancer | 4 times the risk of dying in a fall | Fix your home |
| 4 pCi/L (150 Bq/m3) | About 7 people could get lung cancer | The risk of dying in a car crash | Fix your home |
| 2 pCi/L (75 Bq/m3) | About 4 person could get lung cancer | The risk of dying from poison | Consider fixing between 2 and 4 pCi/L (75-150 Bq/m3) |
| 1.3 pCi/L (50 Bq/m3) | About 2 people could get lung cancer | (Average indoor radon level) | (Reducing radon levels below 2 pCi/L (75 Bq/m3) is difficult.) |
| 0.4 pCi/L (15 Bq/m3) | (Average outdoor radon level) | ||
| Note: If you are a former smoker, your risk may be higher. * Lifetime risk of lung cancer deaths from EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). ** Comparison data calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Reports. |
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from “A Citizen’s Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Radon”
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”How can I test my home for radon?” tab_id=”test-my-home-for-radon”][vc_column_text css=””]Testing your home for radon is simple. You can use a “do-it-yourself” test kit or hire a certified radon measurement company. Test kits are available at hardware stores, local health departments, or online. If you choose a retail test kit, make sure it has a New Jersey certification number (starting with “MEB9″). You can also call the Radon Section at 800-648-0394 for certified company information.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Does radon affect every area in New Jersey?” tab_id=”radon-affect-in-nj”][vc_column_text css=””]Radon levels can vary widely, even within the same neighborhood. High levels can occur anywhere in the state, so testing every home is recommended. Radon remediation systems have successfully reduced indoor levels significantly, often below 1 pCi/L, even in homes with initially high levels.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”How can radon levels be reduced in a home?” tab_id=”radon-levels-reduced-in-a-home”][vc_column_text css=””]The most common solution is installing a sub-slab depressurization system. This system uses a pipe to vent radon from under the basement to above the roof, where it disperses safely. Cracks and openings in the foundation are sealed as part of the process. The cost of such a system ranges from $750 to $3,500, depending on the home.[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”35″ equal_height=”yes”][vc_column width=”1/4″][info-box-shortcode icon=”fa fa-solid fa-square-xmark” buttontitle=”Learn more” buttonlink=”https://njems.nj.gov/DataMiner/DM_REPORT_REVISED.aspx?RN=Certified+Radon+Mitigation+Business” targetlink=”true”]
MITIGATE RADON
Hire a NJ certified radon mitigation professional to reduce radon levels in your home.
[/info-box-shortcode][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][info-box-shortcode icon=”fa fa-solid fa-house” buttontitle=”Learn more” buttonlink=”https://deptest.nj.gov/rpp/radon-real-estate/” targetlink=”true”]
REAL ESTATE & RADON
Radon information for real estate professionals and home buyers when selling or purchasing a home.
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WATER TESTING
The NJ Highlands area is most at risk for naturally occurring radioactive substances in groundwater.
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More Radon Information
- EPA Radon
- Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc. (CRCPD)
- Radon – American Lung Association
- National Radon Proficiency Program
- National Radon Safety Board
[/info-box-shortcode][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_cta h2=”Governor Murphy Proclaimed January as Radon Action Month” color=”black” add_button=”right” btn_title=”Proclamation” btn_color=”primary” add_icon=”left” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-solid fa-bullhorn” css=”.vc_custom_1766416659587{background-color: #FFFFFF !important;}” btn_custom_onclick=”true” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeptest.nj.gov%2Frpp%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F14%2Fpdf_files%2Fradon%2Fproclamation.pdf|target:_blank”]
Coinciding with a national initiative dedicated to promoting radon awareness, testing and mitigation, and radon resistant new construction. Radon testing is easy! The best time to test for radon is during the heating season, so January is the perfect time. Long term or chronic exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and the second-leading cause of lung cancer among smokers (after smoking) according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The greater the concentration and the longer a person is exposed, the greater the risk of developing lung cancer. Check with your municipal or county health department for free radon test kits or purchase a test kit from a hardware store or a NJ certified radon business.
The Radon Potential Map presents radon testing data to show the potential for elevated radon concentrations in each New Jersey municipality with tier area assignments of risk. While this type of visual tool is helpful to determine if you live in an area where radon is more likely to be found, DEP recommends that all homes be tested for radon. Radon concentration can vary widely even within a tier location, depending upon the geology and amount of uranium in the soil. This means that homes in low or moderate radon potential areas may still have elevated radon concentrations. The DEP and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency both recommend that you mitigate your home if your test results indicate radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of radon or higher.
For more information about radon testing and mitigation, view the DEP Podcast on radon.
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