There’s a radioactive gas seeping into homes across Georgia right now, and the people living in those homes have no idea. They can’t see it. They can’t smell it. Their smoke detectors won’t go off. But according to the EPA, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the United States, responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths per year.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It exists everywhere, but it becomes a health concern when it accumulates inside enclosed spaces like your home. The gas enters through cracks in foundations, gaps around pipes, sump pits, and any point where the building contacts the ground. Once inside, it gets trapped and concentrations build.
How Radon Is Measured
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter of air, abbreviated as pCi/L. A picocurie is a unit of radioactivity. The outdoor ambient level in the United States averages about 0.4 pCi/L. The EPA has set 4.0 pCi/L as the action level, meaning if your home tests at or above that concentration, you should take steps to reduce it.
To put that in perspective, the EPA estimates that living in a home with radon at 4.0 pCi/L carries roughly the same lung cancer risk as smoking half a pack of cigarettes per day. At 8.0 pCi/L, the risk is comparable to smoking a full pack daily. These aren’t scare tactics. They’re the EPA’s own risk models, developed from extensive epidemiological research.
The World Health Organization actually recommends a lower reference level of 2.7 pCi/L (100 Bq/m3), and even the EPA acknowledges that there is no known safe level of radon exposure. Any reduction in concentration reduces risk.
Georgia’s Radon Landscape
Georgia is divided into three EPA radon zones based on predicted average indoor levels. Zone 1 (highest potential) includes much of north Georgia. Zone 2 (moderate potential) covers the Piedmont region, including parts of the Augusta and CSRA area. Zone 3 (lower potential) covers the coastal plain.
But here’s what the zone map doesn’t tell you: radon levels vary dramatically from one house to the next, even on the same street. The Georgia Department of Public Health has documented elevated radon levels in every region of the state. A Zone 2 or Zone 3 designation does not mean your home is safe. It means the average predicted level for your county is lower. Your specific home could test well above 4.0 pCi/L regardless of which zone it falls in.
Soil composition, foundation type, construction methods, and even seasonal weather patterns all influence radon entry and accumulation. Homes with basements and those built on slabs with cracks or poor sealing tend to have higher levels. Crawl space homes can also accumulate radon, particularly if the crawl space is enclosed and poorly ventilated.
How Testing Works
Radon testing is straightforward and non-invasive. There are two general approaches.
Short-Term Testing
A short-term test typically runs for 48 to 96 hours. A small testing device is placed in the lowest livable level of your home, usually a ground floor room or finished basement, with doors and windows kept closed as much as possible during the test period. Continuous radon monitors (CRMs) provide hour-by-hour readings and are the most accurate short-term method. The device records radon levels continuously and calculates an average concentration.
Short-term tests give you a snapshot. They’re useful for initial screening and for real estate transactions where time is limited.
Long-Term Testing
Long-term tests run for 90 days or more and provide a more accurate picture of your home’s average annual radon exposure. Because radon levels fluctuate with weather, barometric pressure, soil moisture, and season, a longer test smooths out those variations. If you’re not in a rush, a long-term test gives you the most reliable data.
In either case, professional testing with calibrated equipment provides results you can trust and documentation that stands up for real estate transactions, insurance purposes, and mitigation planning.
What Happens If Your Levels Are High
A test result at or above 4.0 pCi/L doesn’t mean your home is uninhabitable. It means you should install a radon mitigation system, and the good news is that mitigation works extremely well.
The most common approach is sub-slab depressurization (SSD). A licensed mitigation contractor drills a small hole through the foundation slab, installs a PVC pipe, and attaches a fan that draws radon-laden air from beneath the foundation and vents it above the roofline where it disperses harmlessly into the outdoor atmosphere. The system runs continuously and uses about as much electricity as a light bulb.
SSD systems routinely reduce indoor radon levels by 80% to 99%. A home testing at 8.0 pCi/L can typically be brought below 2.0 pCi/L with a properly designed system. Installation usually takes less than a day.
For crawl space homes, variations on this approach or crawl space encapsulation combined with depressurization can achieve similar results. The specific solution depends on your foundation type and construction.
When You Should Test
The EPA recommends that every home be tested for radon, regardless of location or age. Specifically:
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Before buying a home. Radon testing should be part of every real estate transaction. Many buyers in the Augusta area don’t know to ask for it, and standard home inspections don’t include it. A pre-purchase radon test takes 48 hours and can save you from moving your family into an environment with elevated exposure.
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If you’ve never tested. If you’ve lived in your home for years and never tested, you don’t know what your levels are. The test is quick, inexpensive, and the only way to find out.
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After major renovation. Changes to your foundation, HVAC system, or building envelope can alter radon entry pathways. If you’ve finished a basement, replaced your HVAC, or done significant foundation work, retest.
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Every two to five years. Conditions change. Soil settles, foundations develop new cracks, and seasonal patterns shift. Periodic retesting confirms your levels remain acceptable.
Radon is one of those problems that is genuinely dangerous and genuinely fixable. Testing takes a couple of days. Mitigation, if needed, takes a few hours. The risk of doing nothing is real and well-documented. Knowing your levels is the straightforward first step.
If you’d like to know where your home stands, the EnviroPro 360 team can walk you through your options and get a test scheduled. Get in touch here whenever you’re ready.
