A marketing service connecting Minnesota homeowners with licensed radon
mitigation contractors. Compass Camper LLC is not a licensed contractor and
does not perform radon mitigation work.
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.
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.
County Test Kit Programs
Many Minnesota county health departments make testing nearly free.
Verified examples: Beltrami County Public Health offers free kits at its
Bemidji office, Crow Wing County Land Services offers free kits in
Brainerd, and Olmsted County Public Health and St. Paul-Ramsey County
Public Health sell discounted kits. Find your county's program 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
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?
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 several Minnesota county health departments sell discounted kits or give them away. 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.
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.