Locations and reports
Radon Levels in Providence County, Rhode Island
What this means for you
- Your area: EPA rates Providence County Zone 2, the middle of its three radon zones. That is a prediction for the whole county, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones.
- Local tests: Of 108 radon tests reported to CDC for Providence County (2018), 1.9% were at or above 4 pCi/L, EPA's action level.
- Your home: The only way to know your home’s level is to test it.
pCi/L (picocuries per liter) is the unit radon is measured in. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above, its action level.
In 2018, 1.9% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Providence County, Rhode Island came back at or above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L, and the median result was 0.6 pCi/L. EPA's Map of Radon Zones places the county in Zone 2, moderate predicted potential. Radon levels vary from home to home, so only a test measures the level in yours.
Predicted: EPA radon zone
EPA Zone 2: moderate predicted potential
EPA predicts an average indoor of 2 to 4 pCi/L (75 to 150 Bq/m³) across the county as a whole.
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.
USGS geologic potential: Moderate across 60% of the county's land area
Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Measured: tests reported to CDC
Radon tests reported for Providence County, 2018
- Tests reported
- 108
- At or above 4 pCi/L
- 1.9%
- Median result
- 0.6 pCi/L
Of 108 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area. CDC publishes the share in each band, not a count per band, so the per-band counts in the table are calculated by Radon411 and rounded to add up to the published total.
| Result band | Tests Calculated by Radon411 | Share Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 pCi/L | 97 | 89.8% |
| 2 to 4 pCi/L | 9 | 8.3% |
| 4 pCi/L and above | 2 | 1.9% |
Distribution of tested buildings, not this house. People testing before a sale, or because they suspect a problem, are over-represented in any reported testing data.
Measured: CDC tracking data. Figure above: 2018. Measured data period: 2005 to 2018 (every CDC figure on file).
Providence County, In figures
Providence County in figures
What the published data says about Providence County, in words. A zone and a share of tests describe an area, never the level in any one home.
Predicted
PredictedEPA places Providence County in Zone 2, moderate predicted potential, as it does 1 other county of Rhode Island's 5.
Of the 6 bordering counties, EPA places Kent County and Worcester County in Zone 1, Bristol County, Norfolk County and Windham County in Zone 2 and Bristol County in Zone 3.
Reported tests
MeasuredCDC has annual figures for Providence County for 5 years, 2014 to 2018. In 2018, 1.9% of 108 reported tests were at or above 4 pCi/L.
Across those years the share ranged from 0.0% (2015) to 2.6% (2017). Few tests in a year can move it a long way.
Local record
Rhode Island's radon program is the Radon Control Program, run by Rhode Island Department of Health; its contacts are under Local resources.
The county's largest incorporated places are Providence, Cranston and Pawtucket; the figures here cover them as part of the county.
Providence County, Reported testing
Reported testing over time
Measured| Year | Median reported result | Highest reported result | Share of tests at or above 4 pCi/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.4 pCi/L | 12.5 pCi/L | 2.0% |
| 2015 | 0.5 pCi/L | 2.9 pCi/L | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.4 pCi/L | 5.2 pCi/L | 0.5% |
| 2017 | 0.6 pCi/L | 11.1 pCi/L | 2.6% |
| 2018 | 0.6 pCi/L | 6.3 pCi/L | 1.9% |
What these figures count
Every percentage here is a share of radon tests reported to CDC for Providence County in 2018. It is not a share of homes in Providence County, and it is not a random sample: it counts only the tests people chose to run and that were reported.
The shares and the median are calculated from pre-mitigation tests (108 for 2018). CDC also reports the number of buildings tested (34), a different count, so the two totals are not interchangeable.
Providence County, Comparison
How Providence County compares
MeasuredProvidence County's own published CDC figures beside those of the counties that border it, for the same period.
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
Measured2018, highest first. Each county’s own published CDC figure.
- Windham CountyCT58 tests67.2%
- Kent CountyRI10 tests10.0%
- Providence CountyThis page108 tests1.9%
- Bristol CountyRI1 test0.0%
Median reported result
Measured2018, highest first. Each county’s own published CDC figure.
- Windham CountyCT58 tests4.8 pCi/L
- Bristol CountyRI1 test1.3 pCi/L
- Kent CountyRI10 tests0.8 pCi/L
- Providence CountyThis page108 tests0.6 pCi/L
Each figure is that county’s own published CDC figure for 2018, counting radon tests reported to CDC, not homes. Providence 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. No published CDC figure for 2018: Bristol County, MA; Norfolk County, MA; Worcester County, MA. Every Rhode Island county’s own figure is in the Rhode Island county table.
CDC publishes this figure only for counties here, so there is no state or national number to compare Providence County, Rhode Island with.
Providence County, Bordering counties
Counties bordering Providence County
Calculated by Radon4116 counties share a boundary with Providence 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.
- Kent CountyRIZone 1: Highest predicted potential
- Bristol CountyRIZone 3: Lower predicted potential
- Bristol CountyMAZone 2: Moderate predicted potential
- Windham CountyCTZone 2: Moderate predicted potential
- Norfolk CountyMAZone 2: Moderate predicted potential
- Worcester CountyMAZone 1: Highest predicted potential
Providence County, Local resources
Local resources in Rhode Island
Who to ask in Rhode Island: the state's radon program, test kits and professionals.
Radon Control Program
Rhode Island Department of Health
Rhode Island’s radon program answers questions about testing, mitigation and the rules where you live.
- doh.radon@health.ri.gov
- Licensing of radon professionals
This page lists Radon Testing businesses that are licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Test kits
Ask the program whether it has free or discounted kits, or compare kits you can buy.
Radon professionals
No professionals are listed in Rhode Island yet. The state program can point you to registered testers and mitigators.
See the Rhode Island directoryProvidence County, Cities and towns
Cities and towns in Providence County
The radon figures on this page are for Providence County as a whole. They do not differ by city or town.
- Providence
- Cranston
- Pawtucket
- East Providence
- Woonsocket
- Central Falls
6 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files.
Providence County, Questions
Questions about radon in Providence County
Common questions8 questions, answered from the figures above
Are radon levels high in Providence County?
In 2018, 1.9% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Providence County, Rhode Island were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 0.6 pCi/L. That is a share of reported tests, not of homes. EPA places Providence County in Zone 2, moderate predicted potential, a predicted average indoor screening level 2 to 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.
How do I get a radon test in Providence 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 certified tester listed on Radon411 names Providence County as a service area yet. The Rhode Island radon program is the place to ask about certified testers and any test kit offer it runs.
How to test a homeTest kits comparedFree and low-cost kits by stateRhode Island radon program
Who does radon mitigation in Providence County?
Radon411 has no certified mitigators listed for Rhode Island yet. 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 Rhode Island requires one.
How radon mitigation worksWhat mitigation costsRhode Island radon program
What EPA radon zone is Providence County in?
EPA places Providence County, Rhode Island in Zone 2, which EPA describes as moderate 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 Providence 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 Providence County?
Providence 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.
What these figures mean if you own, buy, sell or rent
The reported-test figures on this page describe Providence County, Rhode Island in 2018. They describe tests other people carried out in other buildings, and none of them measures yours.
- How to test a home
If you own your home
Test the lowest lived-in level; a short-term kit screens in days, a long-term kit reflects the year.
- Buying a house: radon guide
If you are buying
Ask for past results and any system's post-mitigation test, and test during the sale.
- Selling a house: radon guide
If you are selling
Testing before you list puts the timing in your hands; disclosure rules differ by state.
- Radon in rental homes
If you rent, or rent out a home
A tenant can test; a fix is the owner's to make, and duties differ by state.
How long a test has to run, under what conditions, and what EPA says a result means: the testing standard, in full.
Providence County, Products
Testing and mitigation products
Whatever the figures for Providence County show, only a test tells you about one home.
Testing
- Short-term test kitsPassive detectors exposed for a few days under closed-building conditions, then analyzed by a lab.
- Long-term test kitsDetectors exposed for more than 90 days, for a closer picture of the annual average.
- Continuous monitorsPowered devices that log radon on a repeating cycle, often used for transaction tests.
- Digital detectorsConsumer devices that display a running radon reading without a lab.
- Water radon testsKits for radon dissolved in well water, analyzed by a lab.
Mitigation
- Mitigation fansThe inline fan that keeps a soil depressurization system running, sized by the installer.
- System indicatorsU-tube manometers and fan alarms that show whether a mitigation system is still working.
- Sealing materialsCrack, joint and sump sealing used alongside a mitigation system, not instead of one.
Providence County / Next steps
What to do next
Learn
Know what radon is
What radon is, how it gets indoors, and why a county zone is not a reading for your home.
Learn about radonTest
Test the building you live in
Short-term or long-term, where the device goes, and closed-house conditions.
How to testFix
Bring a high level down
How a mitigation system works, and the retest that confirms it.
How mitigation worksFind a pro
Hire a certified professional
Measurement 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.