Your Test Is Done — Now What?
You've scheduled the test, the equipment spent its time in your home, and the certified report is now in your hands. For many homeowners in Kannapolis, Concord, and Landis, this is the moment the confusion sets in. The number is there, but the path forward isn't always obvious. Should you call a contractor immediately? Wait for a second opinion? Tell your real estate agent? Do nothing?
This guide walks through the decision tree clearly, so you know exactly what action — or non-action — your result actually calls for.
Step One: Locate the pCi/L Number
Your radon report will state your result in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). This is the universal measurement used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and every state radon program. Some reports include a chart or color-coded band alongside the number — that's helpful context, but the pCi/L number itself is what you'll reference when speaking with a contractor, your real estate agent, or your county health department.
If your report covers multiple levels of your home, focus on the result from the lowest livable level — the basement, or the first floor if there's no basement. That's the number that drives remediation decisions. Upper floors will almost always read lower.
Step Two: Match Your Result to the EPA Framework
The EPA divides residential radon results into three practical bands. Here's what each one means for what you do next.
Below 2.0 pCi/L — Low risk, no action needed
Your home tested below the level where the EPA identifies meaningful health concern. File the certified report with your home records — it's a useful document if you ever sell — and plan a follow-up test in five to seven years, or sooner if you complete significant renovations or changes to your HVAC system. No contractor visit is needed at this level.
2.0–3.9 pCi/L — The grey zone: consider your circumstances
This range is where context matters. The EPA doesn't mandate action but does say mitigation is "worth considering." The relevant questions: How much time do you or your family spend in the home's lowest level? Are there children or family members with elevated lung-cancer risk factors? Are you preparing to sell? If the answer to any of these is yes, a conversation with a certified radon mitigation contractor is worth having — not because you must act, but because the cost of mitigation at this level is often modest and the benefit is real. If you're in this range as a buyer or seller, see the real estate guidance below.
4.0 pCi/L and above — Act
At or above 4.0 pCi/L, the EPA's guidance is unambiguous: mitigate. Elevated radon is a fixable problem. Effective radon mitigation systems — typically sub-slab depressurization — are installed in most homes in a single day and reliably bring levels down, often below 2.0 pCi/L. Acting promptly reduces cumulative exposure. If you test above this level, contact certified remediation contractors to get quotes; you'll typically want two or three for a comparison.
If You're a Buyer: What Elevated Results Mean at the Negotiating Table
Radon testing is a standard part of the home inspection process in Kannapolis, Concord, and Landis, and results above the EPA action level are negotiating data, not deal-breakers. Buyers have several reasonable options when a test comes back at or above 4.0 pCi/L:
- Request a seller credit or price reduction to cover the projected cost of mitigation. Typical residential mitigation systems run in the hundreds to low thousands of dollars; your real estate agent can help frame the ask.
- Request that the seller install a mitigation system before closing and conduct a post-mitigation verification test. The verification test confirms the system is performing as expected.
- Accept the home as-is and plan to install a mitigation system yourself, if the price and other terms already reflect the work needed.
What you should avoid: accepting a verbal assurance that "it'll be fine" or simply setting the result aside. Once you own the home, the radon is yours to address. A written mitigation plan — or a post-mitigation test confirming the work was done correctly — protects you.
If You're a Seller: Getting Ahead of the Results
Sellers who test proactively — before listing — benefit from knowing what's in their home before a buyer's inspector finds it. If your home tests below 2.0 pCi/L, you have a clean report to share with prospective buyers, which removes radon from the uncertainty column entirely. If your result comes in at or above 4.0 pCi/L, you can address it before listing rather than navigating a midtransaction negotiation.
A pre-listing mitigation system, paired with a post-mitigation verification test, is one of the cleanest ways to take radon off the table as a negotiation point. The verified, remediated result can be disclosed upfront — and buyers in competitive markets often respond well to sellers who have already done the work.
Choosing a Remediation Contractor — What to Look For
Radon testing and radon mitigation are separate professions, and working with professionals who hold the right credentials matters for both. For mitigation work, look for contractors certified through the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) or the AARST-NRPP certification body. These are the two nationally recognized programs; certified contractors are trained in system design, installation, and post-mitigation testing protocols.
A few practical questions to ask any contractor before hiring:
- Are you NRPP or AARST-NRPP certified?
- Will you conduct a post-mitigation test after installation to confirm the system is working?
- What type of system do you recommend for my foundation type, and why?
- Is the system under warranty, and who services it if there's a problem?
Be cautious of contractors who recommend action without seeing the home, provide quotes with no system design explanation, or discourage post-mitigation testing. A post-installation test is standard practice — without it, you have no way to confirm the system is actually reducing radon to an acceptable level.
The Value of Testing Without a Conflict of Interest
One detail worth understanding: some radon service companies both test and mitigate. That's not inherently wrong, but it does create a financial incentive to recommend mitigation regardless of your actual result. Wightman Inspection Group provides radon testing only — no mitigation services — which means the certified report you receive reflects nothing other than what the professionally calibrated equipment measured in your home. There's no upselling, no contractor referral fee, and no reason to shade the result in any direction.
When you receive your report from an independent testing provider, you're in a position to take that number to any mitigation contractor — or to no contractor at all, if your result is low — and make your decision with clean information.
When to Consider Retesting
A single short-term test gives you a defensible snapshot, and for most purposes — including real estate transactions — that's sufficient. However, retesting makes sense in a few situations:
- Your short-term result falls in the 3.0–5.0 pCi/L range and you want time-averaged confirmation before committing to mitigation. A follow-up long-term test (90 days to a year) gives a more stable picture.
- You've completed significant renovations — particularly anything involving the foundation, basement, or mechanical systems — since radon pathways can change.
- You've had a mitigation system installed and need a post-mitigation verification test to confirm the system is performing correctly.
- Five to seven years have passed since your last test, even if the previous result was low.
Your Summary: Next Steps by Result
- Below 2.0 pCi/L: File the report, plan a retest in 5–7 years, no contractor call needed.
- 2.0–3.9 pCi/L: Evaluate your household circumstances. Consider a consultation with a certified mitigation contractor, especially if children are in the home or you're in a real estate transaction.
- 4.0 pCi/L and above: Contact certified radon remediation contractors for quotes. Get two to three estimates, ask about post-mitigation testing, and act promptly to reduce cumulative exposure.
If you're in Kannapolis, Concord, or Landis and need a certified initial test — or a post-mitigation verification test after remediation work is complete — Wightman Inspection Group uses professionally calibrated equipment and provides a written report that tells you exactly where you stand.
Need a certified radon test in Kannapolis, Concord, or Landis, NC? Wightman Inspection Group provides independent testing with professionally calibrated equipment — no mitigation services, no conflict of interest.
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