St. Louis County, Northern Minnesota
Radon Mitigation in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth has a reputation as the low-radon corner of Minnesota, and the data says: lower, not low. In MDH county test results, about 3 in 10 St. Louis County properties tested measured at or above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L, and nearly 6 in 10 reached 2 pCi/L, the level where the EPA says to start considering action.
Readings on the hillside swing block to block with the bedrock, so the only meaningful number is your own. When a Duluth test comes back high, we connect you with an independent, MDH-licensed mitigation contractor who quotes the fix in writing for free.
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Radon Levels Around Duluth
3 in 10
St. Louis County properties tested measured at or above 4 pCi/L in MDH county data
Nearly 6 in 10 tested properties in the county reached at least 2 pCi/L. Those shares run below southern Minnesota counties, and they still mean elevated homes on nearly every Duluth street. MDH recommends every Minnesota home test regardless of region, and city-level figures are not published separately, so the county data is the honest Duluth benchmark.
Bedrock at the Surface
Duluth is built on the Duluth Complex, ancient igneous bedrock that sits at or near the surface along the hillside, with only thin and patchy glacial soils above it, a sharp contrast to the deep drift covering most of Minnesota. MDH attributes radon to uranium decaying naturally in rocks and soil; in Duluth the delivery route is often fractures in that shallow rock rather than thick sediment, which is exactly why results vary so much between neighboring homes.
Source: Minnesota Geological Survey, glacial geologyDuluth Housing Stock and What It Means for Mitigation
A large share of Duluth housing predates 1940: hillside homes with stone, rubble, or early block foundations, many stepped into the slope as walkouts. Older foundations leak more soil gas and take more sealing work, and hillside lots sometimes push the vent pipe to an exterior run. None of that is disqualifying; licensed contractors mitigate century-old Duluth homes routinely, and the follow-up test proves the result the same way it does in a new suburb.
Local Radon Contacts and Test Kits
St. Louis County Public Health handles environmental health questions for Duluth and the surrounding county, and the MDH Local Radon Contacts directory lists current kit programs and contacts statewide.
What Does Radon Mitigation Cost in Duluth?
The Minnesota Department of Health reports a typical installed range of $1,500 to $3,000 statewide. Foundation type, home size, and routing decide where a Duluth home lands. The cost guide breaks down every factor with primary-source numbers.
Verify Your Contractor's Minnesota Radon License
Before you hire anyone for radon work in Duluth, check their license. The Minnesota Radon Licensing Act, Minnesota Statutes section 144.4961, requires anyone who performs radon testing, mitigation, or laboratory analysis for compensation to be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health, and every mitigation system installed under the law must carry an MDH system tag. A licensed professional expects the question. Three things to ask before you sign:
- Can I see your current MDH radon license, and is the company licensed too?
- Will the installed system carry the MDH system tag required under the licensing law?
- Will I get a written, itemized estimate and a follow-up radon test that confirms the system works?
Duluth Radon Questions
Is radon lower in Duluth than the rest of Minnesota?
County shares run lower than southern Minnesota, but MDH county data still shows about 3 in 10 St. Louis County tests at or above 4 pCi/L. The EPA action level does not grade on a curve, and MDH recommends testing every Minnesota home, Duluth included.
Can my old Duluth hillside home with a stone foundation be mitigated?
Yes. Licensed contractors work stone and rubble foundations regularly: accessible entry routes get sealed, the suction point goes through the slab or a sump, and on tight hillside lots the pipe often routes up an exterior wall to discharge above the roofline. The post-install test verifies the result.
Why did my neighbor test low while my Duluth home tested high?
Shallow fractured bedrock makes Duluth one of the most house-to-house variable radon markets in Minnesota. Gas follows fractures and foundation openings, not property lines, so MDH guidance is to trust only a test of your own home, ideally during the heating season with the house closed up.
How much does radon mitigation cost in Duluth?
The Minnesota Department of Health reports typical installed costs of $1,500 to $3,000 statewide. Older foundations and exterior routing can push a Duluth quote around within that range, which is why the contractor you are matched with puts the number for your specific house in writing, free, before any work.
Get a Free Radon Quote in Duluth
Tell us about your home and get a free, no-obligation quote from an independent, MDH-licensed radon mitigation contractor serving your area.
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