How Common Is Radon? What Nashville Homeowners Should Know
The Quick Numbers: How Common Is Radon Exposure?
According to EPA guidance on radon, nearly 1in 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have elevated levels of radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas. In Tennessee, the risk profile is higher than the national average.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has reported that 16% of Tennessee homes surveyed had elevated levels, compared with about 6% nationally. Additionally, 25% of homes that received a free test kit through the Tennessee Radon Program have tested above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L.
How Common Is Radon in Nashville?
In Davidson County, the local numbers are especially hard to shrug off. Not every house has a problem, but Metro Nashville reports that approximately 40% of the 4,152 homes tested in Davidson County showed elevated radon levels. Davidson County is also listed by the EPA as a Zone 1 county, meaning it has the highest predicted radon potential, with an average indoor screening level above 4 pCi/L.
So, nationally, radon is common enough to matter. In Tennessee, it’s common enough to assume radon is an issue until proven otherwise. And in Nashville/Davidson, the local tested-home figures are high enough that skipping a test would feel like wishful thinking. In a county where 40% of tested homes showed elevated results, testing your home is a very reasonable move.
Why Homeowners Should Care
Radon risk is about long-term exposure. Exposure to radon over time can damage lung tissue and increase the risk of lung cancer. However, radon doesn’t announce itself with a puddle, a smell, or a suspicious stain on the ceiling. When exposed to radon, you don’t get a headache. You don’t walk into a basement and think, “Hmm, it smells a little uranium-adjacent in here.” Not at all.
After smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and is responsible for about 21,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths each year.
But while these figures are dramatic, the solution is simple: Test your home for radon. If the result is low, you get peace of mind. If the result is high, you have enough notice to reduce radon before years of unnecessary exposure pile up.
There’s no known completely safe level of radon, but if your test results are at or above 4.0 pCi/L, mitigation is needed. You should consider taking action when the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
How Common Is Radon in Basements?
Higher concentrations are more common in basements because radon gas usually enters from the soil beneath and around the foundation. Basements, crawlspaces, and lower levels are closer to the source and tend to have less ventilation, giving radon more opportunity to accumulate before moving up into the home. Radon can affect new homes, old homes, sealed homes, drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.
Are Basements Always the Problem?
The CDC recommends placing a test device in the basement or the lowest level of the home, and testing before and after any renovations. While a basement may be the most likely place to find higher levels of radon, radon doesn’t stay downstairs like an old treadmill and a box of tax records. Air moves, and the stack effect, pressure differences, closed windows, and renovations can all change how radon gas travels throughout a home. So, yes, basements are often the first place to look, but that doesn’t mean upstairs living areas aren’t exposed as well.
When Is a Radon Test Worth It?
A radon test is recommended if:
Your home has never been tested.
You’re buying or selling a home.
You finished a basement or started using a lower level more often.
You renovated, sealed, weatherized, or changed airflow in the home.
You live in Tennessee, especially Middle Tennessee or the Nashville area.
You simply don’t know the current radon level.
For Nashville homeowners, the decision is especially straightforward. Davidson County sits in EPA’s highest radon-potential zone, Metro Nashville has reported elevated results in a large share of homes tested, and Tennessee’s own program says dangerous levels are common because of the state’s geology. The only way to know if your home is one of the millions with elevated radon is to test.
Short-term test kits can measure radon over 2–90 days, while long-term kits measure for more than 90 days and better reflect a year-round average. DIY kits are also widely available, so radon testing is usually pretty accessible.
Protect Your Home From Radon
If your test results come back high, The Radon Guys are ready to help with professional mitigation services. We are NRPP-certified, licensed, insured, and bonded, all things you want if someone is working on your house. Our certified mitigation systems are designed to quickly reduce radon and maintain lower levels in your home over the long term. Contact us for a free estimate today.
