Is there a radon problem in my state?  Radon has been a concern in many countries.  Elevated radon levels have been found in every state of the USA.  According to EPA estimates, as many as 8 million homes throughout the country have elevated levels of radon. Since people are indoors most of the time, exposure to radon is a concern. Some state surveys indicate 1 out of 5 homes has elevated radon levels.  According to the EPA, 1 out of 15 homes in the U.S. has elevated radon levels (4 pCi/L or greater).  The Minnesota Department of Health estimates that about one in three  Minnesota homes have enough radon to pose a large risk to the occupants' health over many years of exposure.   The U.S. average is 1.3 pCi of radon/L of air in single family homes.  Is your home the 1 out of 5 that some state surveys indicate contain radon or the 1 out of 15 homes that the EPA indicates may have radon?  Some counties have higher levels of radon than others. Looking at the EPA radon map of EPA radon zones, no matter what the radon key shows you still need to test.  Click here for radon levels in your county and state.  One house in a neighborhood may not have radon but the very next house may have elevated levels. Radon is the most serious environmental carcinogen exposing the general public indoors according to the EPA. That is why the EPA recommends all homes to test for radon.  

EPA Map Of Radon Zones  (Source of immediate information below including the US radon gas map is located at the following EPA address: www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html)

The purpose of this map is to assist National, State, and local organizations to target their resources and to implement radon-resistant building codes. This map is not intended to be used to determine if a home in a given zone should be tested for radon. Homes with elevated levels of radon have been found in all three zones. All homes should be tested regardless of geographic location.  Important points to note:

• All homes should be tested for radon, regardless of geographic location or zone designation.
   
• There are many thousands of individual homes with elevated radon levels in Zone 2 and 3.  Elevated levels can be found in Zone 2 and Zone 3 counties.
   
• All users of the radon gas map should carefully review the map documentation for information on within-county variations in radon potential and supplement the map with locally available information before making any decisions.
   
• The map is not to be used in lieu of testing during real estate transactions.

The Map was developed using five factors to determine radon potential: indoor radon measurements; geology; aerial radioactivity; soil permeability; and, foundation type. Radon potential assessment is based on geologic provinces. Radon Index Matrix is the quantitative assessment of radon potential. Confidence Index Matrix shows the quantity and quality of the data used to assess radon potential. Geologic Provinces were adapted to county boundaries for the Map of Radon Zones.

Sections 307 and 309 of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 (IRAA) directed EPA to list and identify areas of the U.S. with the potential for elevated indoor radon levels. EPA's Map of Radon Zones assigns each of the 3,141 counties in the U.S. to one of three zones based on radon potential:

	Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (red zones)	Highest potential
	Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (orange zones)	Moderate Potential
	Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (yellow zones)	Low Potential