Radon Testing in Waterloo, IA

You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. The only way to know your home’s level is to measure it — and in a county where the Board of Health reports almost 40% of tests from 2000–2024 came back at or above 4.0 pCi/L, measuring is worth an afternoon of your attention.

We’re a local radon referral service. Call or submit the form and we’ll connect you with a certified radon professional serving Black Hawk County. There’s no charge to you for the referral.

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Option 1: The $10 County Test Kit

Black Hawk County Public Health sells short-term radon test kits for $10 at 1407 Independence Avenue, 5th Floor, Waterloo, during regular business hours. That price includes lab analysis. For a first look at your house, this is the best deal in the county. (Iowa’s kits are low-cost, not free — the state and the American Lung Association also sell kits if the county supply runs out.)

Option 2: A Certified Measurement Professional

Iowa requires state certification for anyone performing radon measurement for compensation, and Iowa HHS publishes the certified list. A professional test uses calibrated continuous monitors, follows ANSI/AARST placement protocols, and produces a documented result — which matters if the number will be used in a real estate transaction, a legal dispute, or a mitigation decision. Real estate testing has its own rules; use a certified pro for that, full stop.

How to Run a Valid Short-Term Test

Closed-house conditions: windows shut, exterior doors closed except for normal coming and going, starting 12 hours before the test. Place the kit in the lowest lived-in level — a basement family room, not a crawl space you never enter — away from drafts, exterior walls, and humidity. Leave it 2–7 days per the kit instructions, then mail it promptly.

Reading Your Number

Below 2.0 pCi/L: good; retest every two years, and after any major renovation or foundation work. 2.0–3.9: below the federal action level, but the EPA says consider fixing; Black Hawk County’s Board of Health recommends considering mitigation in this range too. 4.0 and up: the EPA action level — mitigate. For context, the average Iowa home tests around 8.5 pCi/L against a national average of about 1.3, so a high first test in the Cedar Valley is common. Iowa’s glacial soil is the reason.

Winter readings run higher than summer — the house is sealed and the stack effect is stronger. A winter test is closer to your worst case, which is the number you actually want to know.

Tested High? The Next Step

A confirmed result at or above 4.0 pCi/L calls for a mitigation system. We’ll connect you with a certified professional who works in Black Hawk County.

We’re a local radon referral service. Call or submit the form and we’ll connect you with a certified radon professional serving Black Hawk County. There’s no charge to you for the referral.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

First

Last

Email Street Phone

Phone *

Street Address

Email

What do you need?Radon TestingRadon MitigationNot sure yet

Submit