Testing is the only way to know your number. Radon is invisible and
odorless, Minnesota's average level is more than three times the
national average per the
Minnesota Department of Health, and two houses on the same street can test completely differently.
Whether you need a quick screen, a season-long average, or a
professional measurement that holds up in a home sale, testing comes
first and it is inexpensive.
Radon is radioactive, invisible, and odorless, so a measured test is
the only way to find it.
Three Ways to Test a Minnesota Home
Short-term test, 2 to 90 days
The fastest read on your home, commonly activated charcoal or a continuous monitor. This is the format used on real estate deadlines and for a first screen.
Long-term test, more than 90 days
Tracks your average across seasons, which matters in Minnesota because heating-season levels run higher. The best picture of year-round exposure.
Measurement professional test
A licensed professional places calibrated equipment, controls test conditions, and documents the result. This is the version transactions and mitigation verification rely on.
MDH publishes guidance on running each test and reading the result on
its radon testing pages. Test the lowest level of the home you use regularly, keep windows
closed for closed-house conditions, and follow the kit instructions
exactly. If a result already came back at or above 4 pCi/L, the
high radon test result guide walks through what to do next.
County Test Kit Programs
Many Minnesota county health departments make testing nearly free.
Beltrami County Public Health in Bemidji, Crow Wing County Land Services
in Brainerd, Olmsted County Public Health, and St. Paul-Ramsey County
Public Health have all run kit programs, free in some counties and low
cost in others. Programs start and stop, so check what your county
offers today in the
MDH Local Radon Contacts directory.
When to Use a Licensed Measurement Professional
Minnesota's licensing law, Minnesota Statutes section
144.4961, covers anyone who measures radon for compensation. Use a licensed
measurement professional when a result has consequences: a home sale
under the state's
radon disclosure law, or verification that a new
mitigation system actually brought levels down. MDH lists licensed measurement
professionals in its
official directory.
Before you hire anyone for radon work in Minnesota, 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
a numbered MDH system tag. On a paid install, a missing tag is the
fastest red flag a homeowner can check. 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?
When is the best time to test for radon in Minnesota?
The heating season. The Minnesota Department of Health notes that radon levels tend to rise in winter, when heating systems draw soil gas into the home and windows stay closed. A closed-house test during the cold months captures your worst-case exposure, though MDH encourages testing at any time rather than waiting.
Can I test my Minnesota home myself?
Yes. Do-it-yourself kits are inexpensive and accepted for informational testing, and Minnesota county health departments may offer kits at low or no cost. The MDH Local Radon Contacts directory lists what each county runs now. For a real estate transaction or to verify a mitigation system, use a licensed measurement professional so the result stands up.
What do my radon test results mean?
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The EPA recommends fixing your home at 4 pCi/L or higher and considering action between 2 and 4 pCi/L. No level is risk free; the EPA identifies radon as the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked.
My test came back high. How reliable is one result?
A single short-term test is a screen, not a verdict. Standard practice per EPA guidance is to confirm with a second short-term test or a long-term test before mitigating, unless a transaction deadline forces a decision. If the confirmed level is at or above 4 pCi/L, the next step is a free mitigation quote.
What it costs, and what happens after you send it
What does a radon test cost in Minnesota?
A radon test is a different job at a much smaller scale, and this site publishes no Minnesota testing price, so the licensed measurement professional is the one to ask. What mitigation costs, if a test comes back
high, is $1,500 to $3,000 installed per the Minnesota Department of Health. The
Minnesota cost guide
explains what moves a quote, with every figure cited.
How fast will someone get back to me?
Calls and form submissions reach Compass Camper LLC directly. We read the request and pass it to an MDH-licensed radon professional, usually within about an hour during the day. That professional then contacts you to look at the home and quote the work on their own schedule.
What work is covered?
Radon mitigation, radon testing, real estate radon testing, and new construction radon
systems.
See every service.
Only the MDH-licensed professional you are matched with can price your actual home. Compass
Camper LLC does not test or mitigate radon and does not quote it.
High Test Result? Get a Free Mitigation Quote
Send your address and your reading, and an independent, MDH-licensed contractor will price the fix in writing for free.
