Radon Testing in Southwest Florida

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas with no smell, colour, or taste, which enters buildings from the ground. The EPA recommends action at 4.0 picocuries per litre or above. Levels vary building to building, even between neighbours, so measurement is the only way to know.

Why radon is different from other inspection findings

Almost everything else an inspector looks at can be seen. Radon cannot. It has no smell, no colour, and no taste, and there is no visual indicator that a building has a problem. A newer home is not automatically lower, and an older one is not automatically higher.

It also varies enormously over short distances. Two houses side by side, on the same soil, built by the same builder, can measure very differently depending on slab condition, penetrations, and how the building is ventilated. Your neighbour's result tells you nothing about yours.

That combination is why testing exists. There is no way to reason your way to an answer.

What the numbers mean

Radon is measured in picocuries per litre of air, written pCi/L. The EPA recommends taking action to reduce levels at or above 4.0 pCi/L, and notes that reductions can still be worthwhile between 2 and 4.

There is no threshold below which radon is considered entirely absent — it occurs naturally in outdoor air at low levels. The purpose of testing is to establish where a specific building sits, so you can decide whether mitigation is warranted.

Radon in Florida

Florida is not a low-radon state. Elevated readings occur throughout the state, including in Southwest Florida, and they are not confined to any one soil type or construction era.

Two things make it worth attention here specifically.

Slab-on-grade construction

Nearly all housing here sits directly on a slab, so the primary entry route is beneath your feet. Cracks, plumbing penetrations, and expansion joints are all pathways.

Tightly sealed, heavily air-conditioned buildings

A house sealed for cooling efficiency exchanges less air with outdoors. That is good for the power bill and it means anything entering from the ground stays in longer.

How the test works

1. Closed-building conditions begin at least 12 hours before testing. Windows and exterior doors stay closed except for normal entry and exit. This is not optional — an open house produces a meaningless low reading.
2. The device is placed in the lowest lived-in level of the building, away from drafts, exterior walls, and moisture.
3. It runs for a minimum of 48 hours. Shorter tests are not reliable, because radon levels fluctuate through the day and with weather.
4. We collect the device and report the result in pCi/L, with the test conditions documented.

If you are testing as part of a purchase, build the 48 hours plus collection into your inspection period rather than leaving it to the last few days.

If the result is elevated

An elevated result is not a reason to walk away from a building. Radon is one of the more reliably fixable problems in a house.

Mitigation typically involves a sub-slab depressurization system — in practical terms, a pipe and a fan that vent soil gas above the roofline before it can enter. It is installed by a radon mitigation contractor, not by us, and it is usually a one-day job. After installation the building is retested to confirm the reduction.

Knowing the number is what gives you options. In a transaction, an elevated result is a negotiable item with a known solution and a known cost.

When to test

• Buying a building. During the inspection period, when it is still a negotiable item.
• Selling. A recent test with a good result removes a question mark.
• After significant renovation. Work affecting the slab, foundation, or ventilation can change levels.
• After installing mitigation. To confirm it worked.
• If you have never tested. There is no other way to know.

Ordering it with a home inspection

Radon testing is commonly scheduled alongside a home inspection. The device is placed at the inspection and collected two days later, which fits comfortably inside a normal inspection period.

Service area

We perform radon testing throughout Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties, including Cape Coral, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Lehigh Acres, Punta Gorda, and Marco Island. See our full service areas.