Locations and reports
Radon Levels in West Virginia
What this means for you
- Your area: EPA rates 20 of West Virginia's 55 classified counties Zone 1, the highest of its three radon zones. Zones are predictions for whole counties, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones.
- Local tests: CDC publishes West Virginia's radon test results by county. Open your county below to see its figures.
- 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.
For West Virginia, EPA's Map of Radon Zones places 20 of its 55 classified counties in Zone 1, highest predicted potential, a prediction for each county as a whole. Radon levels vary from home to home, so only a test measures the level in yours.
Predicted: EPA radon zone
55 of 55 counties classified
EPA classifies counties, not states. Of the 55 counties in West Virginia with a zone, 20 are in Zone 1, 29 in Zone 2 and 6 in Zone 3.
- Zone 1: Highest predicted potentialgreater than 4 pCi/L20 of 55 counties · 36.4%
- Zone 2: Moderate predicted potential2 to 4 pCi/L29 of 55 counties · 52.7%
- Zone 3: Lower predicted potentialless than 2 pCi/L6 of 55 counties · 10.9%
An EPA radon zone describes predicted potential across a whole county. It is not intended to determine whether any individual home should be tested, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone, and testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building.
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.
Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Measured: tests reported to CDC
CDC publishes West Virginia's radon test figures by county: 55 of its 55 counties have one. Each county's share is in the county list.
West Virginia, In figures
West Virginia in figures
What the published data says about West Virginia, in words. A zone and a share of tests describe an area, never the level in any one home.
Predicted
PredictedEPA places 20 of West Virginia's 55 counties in Zone 1, 29 in Zone 2 and 6 in Zone 3.
Zone 1 counties, A to Z, begin with Berkeley County, Brooke County and Grant County; the county section below lists all 20.
Compared
Calculated by Radon41136% of West Virginia's counties with a zone on file are in Zone 1, a larger share than across all U.S. counties (34%). It is a share of counties, not of land, people or homes.
Reported tests
MeasuredCDC has no statewide testing figure for West Virginia on file here.
55 of the 55 counties have a published county figure; the most tests in each one's latest year were reported for Berkeley County (2,010 in 2017), Monongalia County (817 in 2017) and Ohio County (770 in 2017).
West Virginia's radon program is the OEHS Radon Program, run by WV DHHR OEHS Radiation, Toxics & Indoor Air Division; its contacts are under Local resources.
West Virginia, Counties
West Virginia counties by EPA zone
PredictedAll 55 counties, by the zone EPA predicts for each. Every county has its own report.
Zone 1: highest predicted potential20
- Berkeley County50.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Brooke County43.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Grant County9.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Greenbrier County52.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hampshire County38.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hancock County49.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hardy County22.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Jefferson County53.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Marshall County31.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Mercer County33.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Mineral County42.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Monongalia County19.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Monroe County33.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Morgan County58.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Ohio County40.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Pendleton County30.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Pocahontas County12.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Preston County36.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Summers County13.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wetzel County35.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
Zone 2: moderate predicted potential29
- Barbour County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Braxton County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Cabell County16.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Calhoun County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Clay County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Doddridge County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Fayette County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Gilmer County12.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Harrison County36.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Jackson County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lewis County13.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lincoln County18.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Marion County29.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Mason County23.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Nicholas County30.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Pleasants County50.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Putnam County23.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Raleigh County16.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Randolph County36.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Ritchie County5.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Roane County36.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Taylor County28.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Tucker County27.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Tyler County22.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Upshur County20.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wayne County15.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Webster County21.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wirt County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wood County15.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
Zone 3: lower predicted potential6
- Boone County14.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Kanawha County20.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Logan County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- McDowell County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Mingo County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wyoming County33.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
West Virginia, Local resources
Local resources in West Virginia
Who to ask in West Virginia: the state's radon program, test kits and professionals.
OEHS Radon Program
WV DHHR OEHS Radiation, Toxics & Indoor Air Division
West Virginia’s radon program answers questions about testing, mitigation and the rules where you live.
- Phone
- 304-352-5039
- Radon@wv.gov
- Licensing of radon professionals
Complete listings of professionals licensed to perform Asbestos, Lead, Radon and Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation activities in West Virginia.
Test kits
The program says: West Virginia residents can request a free Radon Test Kit by emailing Radon@wv.gov or calling 304-352-5039
Radon professionals
1 professional is listed in West Virginia.
Professionals in West VirginiaWest Virginia, Questions
Questions about radon in West Virginia
Common questions9 questions, answered from the figures above
Is radon a problem in West Virginia?
EPA's Map of Radon Zones places 20 of the 55 West Virginia counties it classifies in Zone 1, the highest predicted potential, 29 in Zone 2 and 6 in Zone 3. An EPA radon zone describes predicted potential across a whole county. It is not intended to determine whether any individual home should be tested, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone, and testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building.
How do I get a radon test in West Virginia?
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. The West Virginia radon program is the place to ask about certified testers and any test kit offer it runs.
How to test a homeFree and low-cost kits by stateWest Virginia radon program
Who does radon mitigation in West Virginia?
Radon411's West Virginia directory lists 1 certified radon company. 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.
How radon mitigation worksWhat mitigation costsRadon professionals in West Virginia
Which West Virginia counties are in EPA radon Zone 1?
20 counties are in Zone 1: Berkeley County, Brooke County, Grant County, Greenbrier County, Hampshire County, Hancock County, Hardy County, Jefferson County, and 12 more in the county table on this page. Zone 1 is EPA's class for highest predicted potential, a predicted average indoor screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. A zone is a prediction for a county, not a measurement of any home.
Radon in Berkeley CountyRadon in Brooke CountyRadon in Grant County
Which West Virginia counties have the highest radon?
55 of West Virginia's 55 counties have an EPA radon zone published here. Radon411 will not rank counties on data it does not hold, and a zone is a prediction for an area rather than a measurement of any building.
What share of radon tests in West Virginia are high?
CDC has published no statewide radon testing statistics for West Virginia, so we cannot give a figure. Where CDC does publish one, the percentage describes radon tests reported to CDC, not homes.
Which EPA region is West Virginia in?
West Virginia is in EPA Region 3: Mid-Atlantic.
Do I need to test my home in West Virginia?
Yes, wherever you live in the state. 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.
Why does this page show coverage rather than one radon level for West Virginia?
A statewide figure averages counties with very different geology and very different numbers of reported tests, so it hides more than it shows. The county report is the level at which the EPA zone, the geologic potential and the reported testing statistics are actually published, which is why the county table above links to every one of them.
What these figures mean if you own, buy, sell or rent
The zone counts on this page describe counties across West Virginia. They are predictions for areas, and none of them measures your building.
- 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.
West Virginia, Products
Testing and mitigation products
Whatever the figures for West Virginia 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.
West Virginia / 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.