Radon probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you’re buying or selling a home. You’re more likely thinking about the roof, foundation, HVAC system, neighborhood, or whether the kitchen needs an update.
But here in Nebraska, radon is something worth knowing about.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter a home through the soil underneath it. You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it, which means the only way to know how much radon is in a home is to test for it.
The good news? Radon testing in Omaha is relatively simple, and even when elevated levels are found, the problem can usually be addressed with a radon mitigation system.
Whether you’re buying a home in Omaha, getting ready to sell, or simply wondering whether you should test the home you already own, here’s what you need to know.
Table of Contents
What Is Radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas produced naturally as uranium in soil, rock, and water breaks down.
Because it’s a gas, radon can move through the ground and enter a home through openings around the foundation. Cracks in concrete, floor drains, sump pits, plumbing penetrations, crawl spaces, and other openings can all provide potential entry points.
Once inside, radon can accumulate—particularly in lower portions of the home.
That’s why two houses sitting right next to each other can have very different radon levels. The age, price, condition, or appearance of a home isn’t enough to tell you whether elevated radon is present.
You have to test.
Is Radon Common in Omaha and Nebraska?
Radon deserves particular attention in Nebraska. According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Radon Program, elevated radon levels are found throughout the state.
The EPA classifies Nebraska as a state with significant potential for elevated indoor radon levels, and elevated radon can occur in both older and newer homes.
That doesn’t mean every Omaha home has a radon problem. It means testing is a smart way to find out what’s happening in a specific property instead of making assumptions based on the neighborhood, age of the house, or whether another home nearby tested low.
If you’re buying a home anywhere in the Omaha metro—including Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Gretna, or the surrounding communities—radon is something I recommend understanding as part of the home-buying process.
Why Does Radon Matter?
Long-term exposure to elevated radon increases the risk of lung cancer. According to the EPA, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking.
That’s also why radon shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a reason to panic when it shows up during a home inspection.
Think of the test as information.
If the level is low, great. If it’s elevated, you now know about it and can determine what needs to be done.
In many cases, elevated radon can be reduced significantly with a professionally installed mitigation system.
How Does a Radon Test Work?
During a real estate transaction, a short-term radon test is commonly performed as part of the inspection process.
A testing device is placed in an appropriate location in the home, typically on the lowest level that could be regularly occupied. The device remains there for the required testing period (often 48 hours) while measuring the concentration of radon in the air.
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter of air, abbreviated pCi/L.
It’s important that the home maintain the proper testing conditions while the test is underway. Opening windows, moving the testing device, or making other significant changes to the home’s environment can interfere with the results.
Once the testing period is complete, you’ll receive the measured radon level.
What Is Considered a High Radon Level?
The number you’ll hear most often is:
4.0 pCi/L
The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon when the level is 4.0 pCi/L or higher and says homeowners should consider mitigation when levels are between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L.
It’s also important to understand that 4.0 isn’t a magical line where 3.9 is completely safe and 4.0 suddenly becomes dangerous.
Radon risk increases with long-term exposure, so the goal is generally to keep the home’s radon level as low as reasonably achievable.
What Happens If a Home Tests High for Radon?
Finding elevated radon during a home inspection doesn’t necessarily mean you should walk away from the house.
Radon is usually a fixable issue.
A radon mitigation contractor can install a system designed to draw radon-containing soil gas from beneath the home and safely vent it above the roofline before it enters the living space.
One of the most common systems is called active soil depressurization.
You’ve probably seen one without realizing what it was: PVC piping running from the basement or foundation area to the exterior of the house, usually connected to a small continuously operating fan.
After a mitigation system is installed, the home should be tested again to verify that radon levels have been reduced.
How Much Does Radon Mitigation Cost in Omaha?
The cost of a radon mitigation system can vary depending on the home.
Foundation type, square footage, basement configuration, crawl spaces, sump pits, additions, and the complexity of the installation can all affect the price.
Rather than relying on a generic national estimate, I recommend getting a quote from a qualified local radon mitigation contractor when elevated levels are discovered. Lately, I’ve seen most estimates fall a little over $1,000 for a radon mitigation system, but I’ve seen costs over $2,000 as well.
If you’re purchasing a home and radon is identified during your inspection period, your real estate agent can also help you understand how the issue may be addressed within the terms of your purchase agreement.
Should I Test for Radon When Buying a Home?
In Nebraska, I think radon testing is worth serious consideration when purchasing a home.
The EPA recommends that home buyers learn about radon and test for it as part of the home-buying process. Their Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon is also a helpful resource if you want to dig deeper into radon during a real estate transaction.
A standard home inspection can tell you a lot about a property’s visible components and systems, but an inspector can’t determine the radon concentration simply by looking around the basement.
Testing gives you an actual measurement.
And don’t assume you’re in the clear simply because the house already has a radon mitigation system.
A system is a good sign that radon has previously been addressed, but testing can verify that the system is currently keeping levels down.
What If the Seller Already Tested the Home?
Previous radon results can be useful information, but they aren’t necessarily a substitute for your own test.
Radon levels can fluctuate, and changes to the home can potentially affect how radon enters or moves through the structure.
If you’re relying on an existing test, you’ll want to know when it was completed, where the testing device was located, what type of test was used, and whether anything about the property has changed since then.
When in doubt, another test is relatively simple.
Should Sellers Test for Radon Before Listing Their Home?
There can be advantages to knowing about a radon issue before your house goes on the market.
A pre-listing radon test can give you an opportunity to address elevated levels on your own timeline rather than discovering them after you’re under contract with a buyer.
On the other hand, every property and transaction is different.
If you’re preparing to sell a home in the Omaha area, it’s worth discussing radon testing along with the rest of your pre-listing strategy before deciding how you want to handle it.
Can I Test My Current Home for Radon?
Absolutely.
Radon testing isn’t just for real estate transactions.
If you’ve lived in your home for years and have never tested it—or don’t know whether a previous owner did—you can test it now.
There are short-term and long-term testing options available, including do-it-yourself test kits and professional testing.
The important part isn’t when you test.
It’s knowing your home’s radon level so you can make an informed decision about whether anything needs to be done.
What About New Construction?
One of the more common misconceptions I hear is that radon is mainly an issue with older homes.
That’s not the case. A brand-new house can still have elevated radon.
Radon comes primarily from the soil underneath a home, not from the age or condition of the house.
Some new homes may include radon-resistant construction features or even a mitigation system, but those features don’t eliminate the value of testing.
New doesn’t automatically mean radon-free.
When Did Nebraska Start Requiring Passive Radon Systems?
Beginning September 1, 2019, Nebraska’s Radon Resistant New Construction requirements went into effect as part of the state’s building-code framework. The requirements call for a passive radon mitigation system to be installed in covered new residential construction. This includes single-family homes as well as multifamily housing such as townhomes, condominiums, and apartments.
So, if you’re looking at newer construction around Omaha, Papillion, Bellevue, Gretna, or elsewhere in Nebraska, you may notice PVC piping associated with a passive radon system even though the home has never had an elevated radon test.
It’s there by design.
What Is a Passive Radon System?
A passive system is built into the house during construction to help move radon-containing soil gases from beneath the foundation to the exterior of the home.
Unlike an active mitigation system, a passive system doesn’t initially use an electric fan. Instead, the piping system relies on natural pressure differences and airflow to help vent gases above the home. Radon-resistant construction can also incorporate barriers and other construction techniques designed to reduce the pathways through which radon can enter the house.
Building these components into the home from the beginning also makes it much easier to convert the system to an active radon mitigation system later if necessary.
Does a Passive Radon System Mean You Don’t Need to Test?
No—and this is probably the most important thing for buyers of new construction to understand.
Having a passive radon system doesn’t guarantee that the home’s radon level will be below the EPA’s recommended action level.
The EPA recommends testing a newly constructed home after occupancy even when it was built using radon-resistant construction techniques. If testing shows elevated levels, a qualified radon professional can typically activate the existing passive system by adding a fan, turning it into an active mitigation system.
That’s one of the big advantages of having the passive system installed during construction: much of the infrastructure needed for mitigation is already there.
Buying New Construction in the Omaha Area?
Don’t assume that “new construction” means “no radon.”
If you’re buying a newly built home, I still recommend having it tested. You should also find out whether the home has a passive radon system, where the system terminates, and whether it has ever been activated with a fan.
A passive system is a great feature to have—but testing is still the only way to know the actual radon level inside the home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Radon in Omaha
Can you smell radon?
No. Radon has no color, smell, or taste. Testing is the only way to determine the radon level inside a home.
Is 4.0 pCi/L considered high?
The EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon at 4.0 pCi/L or higher. The EPA also recommends considering mitigation when levels fall between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi/L.
Can a house with high radon be fixed?
In most cases, yes. Radon mitigation systems are designed to reduce the amount of radon entering the living space and can substantially lower indoor radon levels.
Does having a basement mean you’ll have high radon?
No. Homes with basements can have elevated radon, but so can homes with slab foundations and crawl spaces. The only way to know the level in a particular home is to test.
Should I test a house that already has a radon mitigation system?
Yes. Testing can verify that the existing system is effectively reducing the home’s radon level.
Is radon testing in Omaha part of a regular home inspection?
Not necessarily. Radon testing is often an additional service, so buyers should confirm whether it is included or needs to be specifically requested.
Who pays for radon mitigation when buying a house?
That depends on the purchase agreement and negotiations between the buyer and seller. A buyer may request mitigation, negotiate a credit or other solution, or choose to handle the work after closing depending on the circumstances and contract.
How much does radon mitigation cost in Omaha?
Most radon mitigation estimates I’ve seen in the Omaha area come in a little over $1,000 but I’ve seen some cost over $2,000. The final cost depends on the foundation type, square footage, basement layout, crawl spaces, sump pits and how complex the installation is, so get a quote from a qualified local mitigation contractor.
Buying or Selling a Home in the Omaha Area?
Radon sounds intimidating when you first hear about it, especially when it shows up unexpectedly during a home inspection.
But that’s exactly why inspections and testing exist.
The goal isn’t to find a “perfect” house. It’s to understand the property you’re buying, identify potential concerns, and make informed decisions about how to move forward.
If you’re buying, selling, or relocating to the Omaha area, I can help you navigate more than just finding the right house. From inspections and radon testing to negotiations, financing, closing, and everything in between, I’ll help you understand what’s happening at each step of the process.
Have questions about buying or selling a home in Omaha? Let’s connect.
