Radon

NOTICE: Due to high demand, the Onondaga County Health Department has distributed all available radon test kits at this time.

If you are interested in testing your home’s radon levels, please check your local home stores, online retailers, or the New York State Department of Health for radon detection kits available for purchase.

What is Radon?

Radon is an invisible radioactive gas found in soil and rocks. It seeps into your home through cracks in the foundation, walls and joints. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause in smokers. Based on United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates lung cancer due to radon exposure claims about 21,000 US lives annually.

Radon May Be a Health Risk for You and Your Family

Radon Level (picocuries per litre)	If 1,000 people who smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime…	If 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime…
20 pCi/L	About 260 people could get lung cancer	About 36 people could get lung cancer
4 pCi/L	About 62 people could get lung cancer	About 7 people could get lung cancer
0.4 pCi/L	About 3 people could get lung cancer	Less than 1 person could get lung cancer

Source: “A Citizen’s Guide to Radon” US EPA, Jan 2009

A simple diagram of a house showing pathways for radon entry. Curved gray arrows represent radon moving from soil into the basement and crawlspace through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, floor drains, and sump areas. Additional arrows show radon rising through the home along a chimney structure and into upper levels.

Radon Entry Routes

Any home can have high radon levels, whether it is old or new, has a basement or is built on a slab. Radon can leak through cracks in your basement or slab, through the dirt floor of your crawl space, or through openings around your sump pump.

Major Radon Entry Routes:

A. Cracks in concrete slab

B. Pores and cracks in concrete blocks

C. Slab-footing joints

D. Exposed soil, as in sump

E. Cracks between poured concrete (slab) and blocks

F. Loose fitting pipes

G. Water

Onondaga County is considered a High Risk County for Radon in New York State.

This local map can help you determine if you live in an area that is prone to high radon levels. The average basement radon level in Onondaga County is 8.1 pCi/L. According to current data, almost 50% of the homes tested in Onondaga County have levels of radon above the EPA recommended limit of 4 pCi/L. View the test results in your town.

How do I find out if my house has radon?

The only way to tell if you have radon in your home is to test.

A diagram titled “Radon Control for Existing Houses: Sub‑Slab Depressurization” shows a cross‑section of a house with a radon mitigation system. Below the concrete slab, a shaded area labeled “Depressurized Zone” represents the space where soil gases are collected. Arrows indicate radon moving from the soil toward a perforated pipe system under the slab. The pipes connect to a vertical vent stack that runs up the side of the house to release radon above the roofline. A fan is shown in the vent pipe to create suction under the slab. Additional arrows indicate sealing points around the foundation labeled “Seal cracks and openings to soil.” The image demonstrates how the system pulls soil gases from beneath the slab and vents them safely outdoors.

What should I do if

My Home Has Radon Levels Above 4 pCi/L?

The EPA recommends that you fix your home if the test shows a radon level above 4 pCi/L.

Radon levels in a house can be reduced by installing a radon mitigation system. A qualified radon mitigation contractor can design and install a system for your house.

For more information about radon, call 315.435.1649 or visit:
New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency