Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that forms naturally from uranium in the soil beneath New Jersey homes. It enters through foundation cracks, slab openings, and crawl spaces, and it accumulates silently indoors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year—making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. New Jersey sits in an elevated radon zone, and the only way to know whether a home has a problem is to test.
What Radon Testing Involves
We use a smart continuous radon monitor (CRM) placed in the lowest livable room of the home—typically a basement or first-floor bedroom if there is no basement. The test runs a minimum of 48 hours under closed-house conditions. A few hours after our licensed radon measurement technician picks up the smart continuous radon monitor (CRM) our client gets an email with the results containing an hourly measurement.
The EPA action level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Homes at or above this level require mitigation—typically a sub-slab depressurization system installed by a licensed NJ radon mitigation contractor. Homes between 2 and 4 pCi/L should be considered for mitigation. Virtually no indoor air has zero radon; the national average for indoor air is approximately 1.3 pCi/L.
Why NJ Home Buyers Should Test Before Closing
New Jersey’s geology—particularly glacial deposits and granitic bedrock common throughout Bergen County, Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Morris County, Passaic County, and Union County —creates conditions where radon concentrations can be significantly higher than the national average. There is simply no way to know by looking if a New Jersey home has radon levels at or above the EPA action level.
Radon testing is one of the few contingency items where the cost of correction is known and manageable if identified before closing, and unknown and potentially disruptive if discovered after the fact. A radon mitigation system is a straightforward repair for a licensed radon mitigation entity, but it becomes a negotiating point only when you discover the problem before the expiration of your inspection contingency.
Radon levels also vary significantly from house to house on the same street—the only way to know the level in a specific home is to test that specific home. A neighbor’s test result tells you nothing about the property you are buying.
Michael Del Greco — Licensed NJ Radon Measurement Technician Since 1993
Michael Del Greco holds New Jersey Radon Measurement Technician License #MET10521, issued in 1993. He has been testing New Jersey homes for elevated radon for more than 30 years.
Radon testing is available as an add-on to your home inspection appointment. Michael places a smart continuous radon monitor (CRM) in the lowest livable room during your inspection and retrieves the device when the test is complete, minimizing disruption to your schedule and the seller’s property access window.
Results are typically emailed to our client a few hours after our licensed radon measurement technician picks up the smart continuous radon monitor (CRM), well within the standard NJ attorney review and inspection contingency period.
How to Add Radon Testing to Your Inspection
When you call to schedule your home inspection, let us know you want to include radon testing. We will confirm the test type, coordinate timing, and make sure results are back before your contingency deadline.
Call (973) 812-5100—Monday through Friday 8 AM to 8 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 5 PM.
Before the expiration of your inspection contingency, have a licensed professional evaluate any radon results at or above 4 pCi/L and determine the scope of mitigation required.
Frequently Asked Questions — Radon Testing NJ
Does every NJ home need radon testing?
Testing is strongly recommended for any home with a basement or crawl space, particularly inBergen County, Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Morris County, Passaic County, and Union County where elevated readings are more common. Even slab-on-grade homes can have elevated radon in certain soil conditions.
Can I use a home radon test kit instead of a professional test?
Retail test kits can produce valid results when used correctly, but professional placement by a licensed technician ensures the device is positioned according to EPA and NJDEP protocols—in the lowest livable level, away from exterior walls and ventilation openings, and under closed-house conditions. A professionally conducted test produces a defensible result you can act on before your contingency expires.
What happens if radon levels are high?
A result at or above 4 pCi/L calls for further evaluation by a licensed NJ radon mitigation contractor to determine the scope and approach to remediation before the expiration of your inspection contingency.
Does radon testing delay the inspection process?
No. The test runs concurrently with your inspection period. Michael places the device at the time of inspection; it is retrieved at the end of the test window without requiring a separate appointment.
For answers to additional questions about the inspection process, visit our NJ home inspection FAQ or review our home inspection in New Jersey overview page.
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