Radon testing and mitigation in Grand Forks

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and your situation: no test yet, a high number, a home sale, or a system that's stopped working.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent radon company that serves Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and the towns around them.

3. They call you back

   They look at the house and quote the test or the mitigation system directly with you.

Who is this for?

Homeowners, buyers, sellers and landlords in Grand Forks and Larimore in North Dakota, and East Grand Forks and Crookston in Minnesota. If a house sits on the ground, through a basement, a crawl space or a slab, radon can get into it. Radon can't be seen, smelled or tasted, so a test is the only way to find out what's in your house.

Is radon common in Grand Forks?

Yes. Both states that meet at the Red River have a lot of it.

• North Dakota: The state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says 63 percent of North Dakota homes have radon above the EPA's action level of 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), and that the EPA puts North Dakota in Zone 1, the highest-potential category.
• Minnesota: The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says more than two in five Minnesota homes have radon levels that pose a significant health risk, and that the state's average is more than three times the U.S. average.
• Why it matters: The EPA estimates radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths a year in the U.S. It's the number one cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked and the second leading cause overall.

Where does radon come from?

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally as uranium in soil breaks down. ND DEQ notes it's found throughout North Dakota soil. It moves up through the ground and slips into houses through slab cracks, the gap where the floor meets the foundation wall, sump pits, floor drains, plumbing openings and bare soil in crawl spaces. A house in winter is a little like a chimney: warm air rises and leaks out up high, and the house pulls soil gas in down low to replace it.

When should I test?

Now is fine, but ND DEQ specifically encourages testing during the cold-weather months, and Grand Forks has plenty of those. With the furnace running and windows shut for months, a winter test is a good look at the conditions you actually live in. Put the kit on the lowest floor you use, keep it away from drafts and the sump, and get it back to the lab on time. See radon testing for the details.

Where can I get a test kit?

ND DEQ gives away a limited number of free kits to North Dakota residents each year, mailed while supplies last, through its radon page. Kits are also sold at most hardware and building supply stores and online. If you're on a real estate timeline, a radon measurement professional with a continuous monitor is the usual route, and in Minnesota that person needs an MDH license when testing a building they don't own.

What if my number is high?

MDH recommends a mitigation system at 4 pCi/L or higher and suggests considering one between 2 and 4 pCi/L, since no level is risk-free. The EPA gives the same advice. The standard fix is sub-slab depressurization: a pipe from a small pit under the basement floor, a fan that runs all the time, and a vent above the roof. ND DEQ notes that a properly installed system vents the gas safely outside. Read more on sub-slab radon systems.

Do the rules change at the river?

They do. In Minnesota, anyone who designs or installs a radon mitigation system in a building they don't own or lease must hold an MDH radon mitigation license, the company needs a mitigation company license, and every professionally installed system gets an MDH tag next to the pressure gauge. North Dakota's DEQ publishes a list of mitigation contractors and explains what NRPP certification means; it says the list isn't an endorsement, and that a homeowner or a contractor can install a system. So on the North Dakota side, ask for NRPP certification and references. The Red River Valley radon guide lays out both states side by side, with sources.

What about all the flood-era rebuilding?

A lot of houses in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks were repaired, raised, moved or replaced after the 1997 Red River flood, and many basements have been redone since. New foundations, new slabs, sump work and basement finishes all change how soil gas gets in. If your house was tested before that work, or never tested, test it now.

What does a radon system cost?

It depends on the foundation (full basement, crawl space, slab or a mix), how easily air moves under the floor, where the pipe can run, and how many suction points the house needs. The company you're connected with sees the house and gives you a written quote. We don't set or quote prices.

Are you a radon company?

No. Grand Forks Radon Removal is a referral service. We pass your call to an independent radon company that serves your address, and that company tests, quotes, installs and stands behind the work. Before you sign, read our tips for hiring a radon contractor.

Areas we cover

• Grand Forks
• East Grand Forks
• Crookston
• Larimore

Planning ahead? Read our Red River Valley radon guide.