Radon

How Radon Gets Into Your Home

Air pressure inside your home is usually lower than pressure in the soil around your home's foundation. This pressure differential originates form indoor-outdoor temperature differences. When radon gas is present in the soil, your house acts like a vacuum and draws radon in through cracks and other openings. This phenomenon is also known as the “stack effect.”

Radon gets into your home through:

1. Cracks in solid floors
2. Construction joints
3. Cracks in walls
4. Gaps in suspended floors
5. Gaps around service pipes
6. Cavities inside walls
7. Your water supply

Radon Resistant Construction

If you are planning to build a new home, talk to your builder about radon-resistant construction. Simple, built-in features are much less expensive than fixing a radon problem later.
The free EPA publication, Building Radon Out-A Step-by-Step Guide On How To Build Radon-Resistant Homes (2001), can be ordered from the EPA website.

Find a builder that uses Radon-Resistant construction techniques.

Last updated January 30, 2026