Mold does not cause radon and radon does not cause mold, but both enter Adams County basements the same way. What to test, the order of the work, and who is certified in Pennsylvania.
Chapters
- 0:00 No link between mold and radon
- 0:10 Two different problems
- 0:20 The same entry routes
- 0:30 Adams County is an EPA Zone 1 county
- 0:40 Test every home below the third floor
- 0:50 Separate tests, separate contractors
- 1:00 Routine mold testing is not recommended
- 1:10 The order: water, mold, radon, retest
- 1:20 Remediation can change radon entry
- 1:30 Certification in Pennsylvania
- 1:40 Firms that handle both
Transcript
0:00 Mold does not cause radon, and radon does not cause mold. They share a basement and the same entry routes, nothing more.
0:10 Radon is a radioactive gas from uranium decaying underground. Mold is a living growth that needs moisture and material to feed on.
0:20 Both enter through foundation cracks, construction joints, gaps around pipes and sump pits, because indoor air pressure sits below the soil's.
0:30 Adams County is an EPA Zone One radon county. Statewide, roughly forty percent of Pennsylvania homes tested measure above the action level.
0:40 The EPA recommends testing every home below the third floor, whatever the zone and whatever else is happening in the basement.
0:50 No radon test detects mold, and no mold inspection detects radon. They are separate measurements, separate contractors and separate certifications.
1:00 Mold testing is different. The CDC does not recommend routine sampling; finding the moisture and removing the growth matters more.
1:10 If you need both, fix the water first, then remediate the mold, then install the radon system, then retest for radon.
1:20 Remediation containment runs under negative pressure, which may temporarily change radon entry while machines operate. Test again once the work finishes.
1:30 Pennsylvania requires DEP certification for radon testers and mitigators. Mold remediation has no state license, so check registration, insurance and references yourself.
1:40 Some firms handle both problems; most handle one. Find local companies at Mold Remediation Near Gettysburg dot com.
Key points
- Mold and radon do not cause each other. They turn up in the same basements because they come in through the same foundation cracks, joints, pipe gaps and sump pits.
- Adams County is in EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest-risk zone, and the EPA recommends testing every home below the third floor.
- A radon test does not detect mold, and a mold inspection does not detect radon. They are separate measurements by separate contractors.
- If a house needs both, the order is: fix the water, remediate the mold, install the radon system, then retest for radon.
- Radon testers and mitigators need Pennsylvania DEP certification. Mold remediation has no state license, so check registration, insurance and references yourself.
Find a company near Gettysburg
Compare mold remediation companies serving Gettysburg and crawl space and basement specialists. The full guide to mold and radon covers testing for both in more detail.
Read the full guide: Mold and radon in Gettysburg homes: is there a link, and what to test
