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Radon Levels in Columbia County, Pennsylvania

EPA puts Columbia County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone. Homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, so only a test measures yours.

Data checked By Radon411Methodology

Predicted
Zone 1Highest predicted potential
Measured
34.7%of 409 tests reported to CDC (2020) were at or above 4 pCi/L
Your home
Test to knowNo area figure here is a reading of your home.
How to test this homeFind a certified tester

The data

Columbia County, At a glance

Columbia County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

This is a county-level geologic prediction. It is not a measurement of any address, and houses with elevated radon are found in all three zones.

What EPA predicts hereScreening level, geology

EPA predicts an average indoor of greater than 4 pCi/L (greater than 150 Bq/m³) across the county as a whole.

USGS geologic potential: High across 100% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for Columbia County, 2020

Tests reported
409
At or above 4 pCi/L
34.7%
Median result
2.0 pCi/L
Reported results by concentration band, Columbia County, 2020
Under 2 pCi/L: 49%2 to 4 pCi/L: 16%4 pCi/L and above: 35%

Of 409 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area.

Reported results by concentration band, Columbia County, 2020: data table
Result bandTests MeasuredShare Measured
Under 2 pCi/L19948.7%
2 to 4 pCi/L6816.6%
4 pCi/L and above14234.7%

CDC publishes this figure only for counties here, so there is no state or national number to compare Columbia County, Pennsylvania with.

What these figures count

Distribution of radon tests reported to CDC, not this house. People testing before a sale, or because they suspect a problem, are over-represented in any reported testing data.

The figures at the top are for 2020: a percentage there is a share of radon tests reported to CDC for Columbia County in 2020, and a percentage in a view below is a share of the tests reported for the year or period it names. It is not a share of homes in Columbia County, and it is not a random sample: it counts only the tests people chose to run and that were reported.

CDC works out the shares and the median over pre-mitigation tests, counting a test not marked as before or after mitigation as one of them (409 for 2020). The median is the middle result of those tests, not of buildings. CDC also reports the number of buildings tested (199), a different count, so the two totals are not interchangeable.

Columbia County's own published CDC figures beside those of the counties that border it, for the same period.

Each figure is that county’s own published CDC figure for 2020, counting radon tests reported to CDC, not homes. Columbia County is this page. Nothing is averaged or combined across counties. The test count beside each county is CDC’s published number of pre-mitigation tests behind its figures. Figures from few tests can swing widely from year to year. Every Pennsylvania county’s own figure is in the Pennsylvania county table.

Measured: CDC tracking data. Figure above: 2020. Measured data period: 2005 to 2020 (every CDC figure on file).

Columbia County, State data

Pennsylvania's own radon test data

Measured

What Pennsylvania's own agencies publish about radon tests in Columbia County, with their period. These are not CDC's figures and are never added to them.

MeasuredState figures, not CDC's

What Pennsylvania DEP reports for the ZIP codes in Columbia County

Pennsylvania DEP publishes its figures by ZIP code, not by county. These are the 20 ZIP codes that lie wholly or partly in Columbia County, each with the state's own figures for it. Period: Period not stated by DEP.

ZIP codes in Columbia County
ZIP codeWhat the state reports
17756Basement: average 12.2 pCi/L, 1,154 tests; First floor: average 3.6 pCi/L, 250 tests
17774Basement: average 11.4 pCi/L, 58 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17814Basement: average 16.6 pCi/L, 402 tests; First floor: average 5.0 pCi/L, 100 tests
17815Basement: average 11.6 pCi/L, 4,604 tests; First floor: average 5.3 pCi/L, 707 tests
17820Basement: average 20.6 pCi/L, 664 tests; First floor: average 6.3 pCi/L, 141 tests
17821Basement: average 9.7 pCi/L, 3,919 tests; First floor: average 5.5 pCi/L, 633 tests
17824Basement: average 11.9 pCi/L, 795 tests; First floor: average 7.0 pCi/L, 96 tests
17846Basement: average 15.5 pCi/L, 345 tests; First floor: average 3.2 pCi/L, 78 tests
17858Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17859Basement: average 19.2 pCi/L, 262 tests; First floor: average 8.6 pCi/L, 59 tests
17878Basement: average 15.8 pCi/L, 137 tests; First floor: average 7.0 pCi/L, 36 tests
17888Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17920Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17921Basement: average 14.0 pCi/L, 448 tests; First floor: average 4.2 pCi/L, 61 tests
17945Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17985Basement: average 12.1 pCi/L, 122 tests; First floor: figures not shown
18603Basement: average 10.1 pCi/L, 2,020 tests; First floor: average 6.5 pCi/L, 412 tests
18631Basement: average 8.6 pCi/L, 196 tests; First floor: figures not shown
18635Basement: average 21.3 pCi/L, 375 tests; First floor: average 4.4 pCi/L, 46 tests
18655Basement: average 6.9 pCi/L, 644 tests; First floor: average 2.6 pCi/L, 96 tests
  • DEP's report gives the number of tests, the highest result and the average result for each floor tested; it states no period.
  • DEP says the smartest thing to do is to test your home for radon, no matter where you live.
  • A ZIP code that crosses the county line is listed whole; its figures cover all of it.

Measured: Pennsylvania DEP data, Period not stated by DEP.

Radon Action Brief

National Radon Action MonthPre-sale

Columbia County's radon brief, in one dated file.

  • Your area's radon record, explained.
  • Your plan to test this week.
  • Fix costs and pros near you.

Save 64%Sale price: $8.99Price after the sale: $25Ends Jan 31Then $25

Get the Columbia County BriefSee a free sample

Area data, not a test of the building.

Local help

Columbia County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Columbia County

Who tests and fixes radon in Columbia County: listed businesses, Pennsylvania's radon program and test kits.

What Pennsylvania's program says
Phone
800-237-2366
Licensing of radon professionals
The Radon Certification Act requires DEP to establish by regulation, a certification program for persons conducting radon gas and radon progeny testing, laboratory analysis and mitigation...

What it means

Columbia County, Questions

Questions about radon in Columbia County

Common questions

8 questions, answered from the figures above

Are radon levels high in Columbia County?

In 2020, 34.7% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Columbia County, Pennsylvania were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 2.0 pCi/L. That is a share of reported tests, not of homes. EPA places Columbia County in Zone 1, highest predicted potential, a predicted average indoor screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, so the figures describe the area, not your house. Testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building.

Radon levels: what a result meansWhat is radon?Radon levels in Pennsylvania

How do I get a radon test in Columbia County?

EPA says you can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company, and that either approach takes only a small amount of time and effort. No radon testing business listed on Radon411 has an address in Columbia County or names it as a service area yet. The Pennsylvania radon program is the place to ask about certified testers and any test kit offer it runs.

Radon testing: how to test a homeRadon test kits comparedFree and low-cost kits by stateRadon Action Month checklistPennsylvania radon program

Who does radon mitigation in Columbia County?

No listed mitigator names Columbia County as a service area yet; the Pennsylvania directory lists 153 companies. EPA recommends having a qualified contractor fix a home with a radon problem, because lowering high radon levels takes technical knowledge and special skills, and some states require the work to be done by a licensed or certified professional. Your state radon program is the place to check whether Pennsylvania requires one.

Radon mitigation: how it worksRadon mitigation costRadon mitigation systemsMitigators in Pennsylvania

What EPA radon zone is Columbia County in?

EPA places Columbia County, Pennsylvania in Zone 1, which EPA describes as highest predicted potential for the area. A zone is a prediction for the whole county and never determines whether a particular home should be tested. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.

Should I test my home in Columbia County?

Yes. Testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building. EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. EPA recommends considering a fix when the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L. How to test a home.

When is the best time of year to test?

EPA says short-term tests stay in the home from 2 to 90 days and that all radon tests should run a minimum of 48 hours; long-term tests stay more than 90 days. EPA's guides do not name a best season: they say radon levels tend to vary from day to day and season to season, so a long-term test is more likely than a short-term test to tell you the year-round average.

What does it cost to test?

EPA's Citizen's Guide calls testing easy and inexpensive, and EPA's Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide says passive short-term and long-term devices are generally inexpensive, while active devices may cost more. No national average price is published for this, so Radon411 does not give one. What testing costs.

Which counties border Columbia County?

Columbia County borders 6 counties, derived from Census county geometry. Radon potential follows geology rather than county lines, so a bordering county's report can be relevant.

If you own, buy, sell or rent

What these figures mean for each reader, with the guide that covers it

The reported-test figures on this page describe Columbia County, Pennsylvania in 2020. They describe tests other people carried out in other buildings, and none of them measures yours.

Columbia County in figures

The figures above, said in words

What the published data says about Columbia County, in words. A zone and a share of tests describe an area, never the level in any one home.

    • Predicted

      Predicted

      EPA places Columbia County in Zone 1, highest predicted potential, as it does 48 other counties of Pennsylvania's 67.

      Of the 6 bordering counties, EPA places Luzerne County, Lycoming County, Montour County, Northumberland County, Schuylkill County and Sullivan County in Zone 1.

  • Reported tests

    Measured

    CDC has annual figures for Columbia County for 7 years, 2014 to 2020. In 2020, 34.7% of 409 reported tests were at or above 4 pCi/L.

    Across those years the share ranged from 34.7% (2020) to 57.8% (2014). Few tests in a year can move it a long way.

  • Local record

    Pennsylvania's radon program is the Radon Division, run by Department of Environmental Protection; its contacts are under Local resources.

    The county's largest incorporated places are Bloomsburg, Berwick and Ashland; the figures here cover them as part of the county.

Products

Columbia County, Products

Testing and mitigation products

Whatever the figures for Columbia County show, only a test tells you about one home.

Test kits and monitors42

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As an Amazon Associate, Radon411 earns from qualifying purchases.

Columbia County is in EPA Zone 1, the highest predicted radon potential. Best radon monitors for Zone 1 counties like Columbia County

Testing

5

Mitigation

3

Explore

Columbia County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Columbia County

Calculated by Radon411
Why bordering counties matter

6 counties share a boundary with Columbia County, computed from Census county geometry. Radon potential follows geology rather than county lines, so a bordering county’s report can be worth reading alongside this one.

Columbia County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Columbia County

The radon figures on this page are for Columbia County as a whole. They do not differ by city or town.

  • Bloomsburg
  • Berwick
  • Ashland (part)
  • Catawissa
  • Millville
  • Benton
  • Briar Creek
  • Orangeville
  • Stillwater
  • Centralia

10 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files. “(part)” marks a place that extends into another county.

Columbia County, Next steps

What to do next

  1. LearnKnow what radon isWhat radon is, how it gets indoors, and why a county zone is not a reading for your home.Learn about radon
  2. TestTest the building you live inShort-term or long-term, where the device goes, and closed-house conditions.How to test
  3. FixBring a high level downHow a mitigation system works, and the retest that confirms it.How mitigation works
  4. Find a proHire a certified professionalMeasurement and mitigation professionals by state, with their certifications.Find a professional

Informational. Follow EPA guidance. EPA says all radon tests should be taken for a minimum of 48 hours, with windows and doors closed from 12 hours before a short-term test.