Radon testing is all that we do, so you can expect unbiased radon test results.
As a licensed home inspector in Wisconsin, for over 20 years, I have a tremendous amount of radon and local building knowledge that benefits my clients greatly.
We provide radon testing to individual home owners, as well as assist with radon testing during real estate sales. We also provide radon testing for commercial buildings.
We are certified by the state of WI to test for radon, and we also maintain continuing education.
Nights, weekends, days – you name it, we can work around your schedule to find a convenient time for your radon test.
We won’t try to up-sell you on radon mitigation that you don’t need because we don’t sell radon mitigation. Testing is all we do. And we’re damn good at it 🙂
Radon is a radioactive gas found in Wisconsin. It is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer. Each year some 21,000 people die because of lung cancer caused by radon according to the EPA. In SE Wisconsin, nearly 40% of home have unsafe levels of radon.
More questions? Call:
(414) 238-0475
Do I need to be home to have a radon test done?
Yes someone will need to be present in order to allow us access to setup the radon testing equipment.
Are high levels of radon common in Wisconsin?
Yes. Many areas of WI have elevated, and oftentimes dangerous, levels of radon. This is especially true in parts of Southeast WI, including Milwaukee, Waukesha, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls areas and other cities in the area.
What if my radon levels are high?
If you plan on staying in your home, it is best “mitigate” the radon and your home before the elevated radon leads to health problems. There are a number of radon mitigation companies in the Milwaukee & Waukesha areas that can assist.
If you are selling or buying a property, you may opt to fix, or mitigate, the radon problem, or negotiate the necessary mitigation within the real estate contract.
Either way, if you have high levels of radon, you will want to get it fixed asap.
Do you offer radon mitigation services?
No, we only offer radon testing services. Radon testing can be like taking your car to a mechanic. You’re never quite sure if you are getting cheated or not. So unlike radon mitigation companies, who want to sell you expensive mitigation systems, we are completely unbiased since we only test for radon. We have nothing else to sell you. So you can trust that we are not giving you false results. We simply test and report on the radon levels so you can rest assured you are getting the most accurate radon testing results.
Are you licensed or certified?
Yes, I am certified to measure radon levels in the state of Wisconsin.
What areas do you provide radon testing?
We offer radon testing in Milwaukee, Brown Deer, Shorewood, Glendale, Fox Point, Mequon, Thiensville, Cedarburg, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, Brookfield, Butler, Richfield, Waukesha, Franklin, New Berlin, Greenfield, West Allis, Wauwatosa, Whitefish Bay, and other areas cities.
At what level is radon dangerous?
Radon levels are considered over the lifetime of exposure, and are based on the average level of radon over the amount of time exposed. If the radon concentration is greater than 50 pCi/L in the area, and a mitigation system cannot be immediately installed, it is recommended you open a window in the area and leave it open until it be remedied.
Here are the EPA recommendations:
Average exterior radon concentration – 0.4 – 0.7 pCi/L
Average indoor radon concentration – 1.3 pCi/L
Consider fixing indoor radon concentration – 2.0 – 4.0 pCi/L
Fix immediately – above 4.0 pCi/L
Is a professional needed to test my home for radon?
If you are looking to get a better understanding of your home’s radon levels or are unsure if your home has a radon issue, a do-it-yourself kit can give you a fairly accurate reading when the directions are followed. Low cost test kits can be purchased through the Environmental Health Division or from your local hardware store.
If you have had a radon problem in the past, or are planning on selling your home, a professional test can ensure you most accurately know the radon level in your home.
Are Continuous Radon Monitors or passive tests more accurate?
Continuous Radon Monitors (CRMs) measure the radon levels every hour, which can show if you have changing radon levels due to weather, or if you’d like a better understanding of the radon fluctuations in your home. These are helpful for time sensitive decisions and when very accurate hourly information is needed. However, passive radon test kits are accurate at the time of the reading. Passive tests are more cost effective and will give you a single number to compare to EPA levels.
Should I choose short-term or long-term testing?
If you are looking to get a quick understanding of your radon levels, or are planning a real estate transaction, short-term tests are best. More tests being performed are short-term tests.
If you perform a test and the radon concentration is borderline for mitigation, a long-term test can give you a better feel for the overall concentration. A long-term radon test is three months to one year in length, and will be able to tell you if there are differences between seasons.
However, if the test level of a short-term test is above 10 pCi/L, it is recommended you test again with a short-term test, or look into mitigation.
What are the recommendations for real estate transactions for radon testing?
Short Term Testing
Can radon test results be tampered with?
Tampering with a radon test device or misrepresenting the radon level of a home is a morally egregious act. However, some short term devices can be used while testing conditions are not correctly met. This could mean that there are open windows when the testing is occurring, or doors to other areas are open. If the testing requirements are not being followed, this could lead to an incorrect reading.
Many CRM testing machines have built in tamper resistant features that would show in the results of the test. While the data cannot be manipulated, moving the machine would again lead to inaccurate results.
If you are worried about tampering, then a CRM will show if a test has been moved to fresh air or if there is a sudden change in the radon level which could indicate a window or door has been opened.
Does a vacant house have different radon levels than an occupied home?
The radon levels between a vacant home and an occupied home will not be significantly different due to the natural ventilation of a home and the half life of radon gas. Radon does not continually build up since it will decay by half every 3.8 days.
While radon testing is being done in a vacant home, it is recommended the heating/cooling system be run as though the house is occupied, as this will increase the accuracy of the test for normal conditions.
Where is the radon level the highest?
The highest concentrations of radon are typically in the basement or lowest level of your home. Radon is heavier than air, so it will naturally sink to the lowest level, or stay settled if the room is above a concrete slab. A door between a basement and an upper floor that is typically closed can cause a difference of 30 – 50% between the basement and the upper floors. When deciding on where to test, these factors should be taken into account.
How can I increase the accuracy of do-it-yourself test kits?
Test inaccuracies can occur due to several reasons. Avoid testing during extreme weather, since this can lead to changes in radon levels and may give you a different reading than normal weather. Conducting two tests simultaneously, about one apart, will ensure you have more than one reading to consider. If the tests are below 4 pCi/L, and within 67% of each other, they are considered accurate. If the tests are above 4 pCi/L and within 36% of each other, then those results are considered accurate.
If you want to test multiple areas of your home, you will have to purchase two test kits per area that you wish to test to ensure you receive accurate and reliable readings.
What if my first radon test is lower than 4 pCi/L?
If you have already run two tests and the results are below 4 pCi/L of radon, you have a couple of courses of action. First: you could take no action. However, it is recommended that you test for radon periodically through the years to be sure that the levels have not changed. This can occur due to changing soil or structure under your home, or if there have been major events near your home.
Another way to ensure that test results are accurate is to test again in the opposite season, since your ventilation patterns and soil patterns may change from one season to the next.
Will the seasons affect the radon level?
Seasons can affect the radon levels of your home, with winter typically having a higher concentration. This is due to the natural transfer of heated air rising through and out through the top of your home, creating a greater air draw from under your home where radon levels are higher. This can lead to upper rooms having higher concentrations of radon than during the warmer seasons. However, the basement level will often remain similar year round.
Should I retest because of severe weather?
Natural weather patterns will change the radon concentration in your home. However, there will always be variations on a daily basis. Minor rains of less than 0.5” in 12-hour period are not believed to have much, if any, influence on the radon concentration. Above 0.5”, and the change can be enough to put you above or below the 4 pCi/L of radon that is considered an actionable level. If you wish to understand how weather affects your radon readings long term, then a long-term test may help you determine if mitigation will be necessary.
If you are performing a test for yourself or a real estate transaction, then be sure to avoid testing during severe weather to ensure an accurate reading. A second test can always be done to see if the levels have changed significantly. However, if your first test reads a level higher than 10 pCi/L, then chances are that a second test will not be under 4 pCi/L.
If my home has radon in the air, is it in the water supply?
Public water supplies are not likely to have a radon problem. However, if your home has tested for high levels of radon, and you get your water from a well, then you may want to get your water tested.
Can my granite countertops cause elevated radon levels?
While most granite countertops do not contain any significant levels of the radon parent element, there are some types that have the potential to emit radon gas. If you are concerned about granite countertops in your home, it is recommended that you test in the room where the countertops are installed, about 20” from the granite. This can then be compared with other tests done in your home to see if the level is significantly higher.
What areas do you serve?
Milwaukee, Mequon, Brown Deer, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Glendale, Cedarburg, Thiensville, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, New Berlin, Waukesha, Greenfield, Greendale, Fox Point, Cudahy, Lannon, Colgate, Lisbon, Butler, Hales Corners, Franklin, South Milwaukee, Muskego, St. Francis,Oak Creek
Call for an instant quote:
(414) 238-0475