Authoritative resources · Vetted Pennsylvania-specific sources
Pennsylvania Radon Resources — Authoritative Directory
Vetted directory of the most authoritative US and Pennsylvania-specific radon resources: federal agency guidance, state program contacts, certification verification systems, university research, and homeowner + healthcare provider materials. Every listing below is independently maintained by the named authority — links open in a new tab so you can verify against the source directly.
Federal & international authorities
Federal Agencies + International Bodies
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Radon Program — Foundational US radon guidance, action level (4 pCi/L), and consumer publications. epa.gov/radon
- EPA A Citizen's Guide to Radon (EPA 402/K-12/002, 16 pp.) — Free PDF, the primary consumer reference. epa.gov citizen's guide
- EPA Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon (EPA 402/K-13/002) — Real-estate-transaction-specific. epa.gov buyer/seller guide
- EPA Radon Map of EPA Zones — Predictive radon zone classifications (Zone 1 highest predicted, Zone 3 lowest) by county. epa.gov radon zones
- US Surgeon General Health Advisory on Radon — 2005 official health advisory recommending all US homes be tested. epa.gov health risk
- World Health Organization (WHO) Handbook on Indoor Radon (2009) — International clinical reference, 2.7 pCi/L WHO action level. who.int handbook
- US National Cancer Institute — Radon and Cancer Fact Sheet — NCI clinical reference. cancer.gov radon
- HUD Healthy Homes Program — federal multifamily housing radon guidance. hud.gov healthy homes
Pennsylvania state authorities
Pennsylvania State Agencies + Programs
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) — Radon Program — State radon program lead. Maintains certified mitigator list, school testing oversight, and public outreach. 717-783-3594 · pa.gov DEP radon
- 68 Pa. C.S. §§ 7301-7315 — Residential Real Estate Disclosure — Statutory disclosure obligation for known radon results. legis.iowa.gov §558A.4
- Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240 — Radon Control — Statutory framework for Pennsylvania radon contractor registration. legis.iowa.gov §136B
- Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240 (Pa. Radon Certification Act) — Radon Certification — Detailed rules for PA DEP contractor registration. iac chapter 44
- Pennsylvania Cancer Coalition — Statewide cancer prevention coalition; partners with ALA Pennsylvania on radon awareness. pacancercoalition.org
- Pennsylvania Department of Education — School Radon Testing Records — Public-records requests for school testing data filed under Pennsylvania school radon testing law. education.pa.gov
Industry standards + certification
Industry Standards, Certification, and Professional Bodies
- AARST (American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists) — Industry standards body. Publishes AARST-ANSI installation + measurement standards. aarst.org
- NRPP (National Radon Proficiency Program) — Primary US individual + corporate certification. Pennsylvania requires NRPP or NRSB national cert in addition to PA DEP certification (Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240). nrpp.info
- NRSB (National Radon Safety Board) — Alternative US individual certification accepted by PA DEP. nrsb.org
- AARST find-a-pro directory — Search AARST-member certified pros by ZIP. aarst-nrpp.com find-a-pro
- AARST-ANSI MS-PC 2014 — Measurement protocol standard for radon-in-air testing. Reference for understanding what defensible test methodology requires.
- AARST-ANSI SGM-SF 2017 — Soil gas mitigation standard for single-family residential active sub-slab depressurization systems. Reference for understanding what a code-compliant install looks like.
Medical + health authorities
Medical Authorities + Patient Education
- American Lung Association (ALA) — Radon — Most-cited US patient + clinical authority. Healthcare Provider Decision Support Tool (2024). lung.org/radon
- ALA Pennsylvania Chapter — Pennsylvania-specific advocacy + community resources. lung.org/pa
- American Cancer Society — Radon — Patient-facing cancer-risk framing. cancer.org radon
- CDC Radon Topic Hub — Centers for Disease Control radon overview. cdc.gov/radon
- USPSTF Lung Cancer Screening Recommendations (2021) — Low-dose CT screening criteria. Note: radon exposure is not currently a USPSTF screening trigger but is referenced by some pulmonology societies for shared decision-making in elevated-exposure never-smokers. uspstf lung cancer screening
- Pennsylvania Radon Experts For Healthcare Providers page — Pennsylvania-specific HCP framework, screening guidance, ICD-coding context, patient handouts. pennsylvaniaradonexperts.com/providers
Research + academic sources
University Research and Peer-Reviewed Sources
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health — Pennsylvania radon-lung-cancer research (multi-institution) — One of the largest US case-control studies linking residential radon to lung cancer outcomes. publichealth.pitt.edu
- Pennsylvania Geological Survey (PA DCNR) — Pennsylvania-specific radon geology research (uranium-bearing Reading Prong gneiss and granite, Appalachian Plateau Devonian shale + Cambrian-Ordovician carbonate karst). dcnr.pa.gov/Geology
- EPA State Indoor Radon Survey (SIRS, 1993) — Foundational federal state-level radon dataset; basis for Pennsylvania's #1 ranking. Citation: U.S. EPA, "National Residential Radon Survey: Summary Report" (EPA 402/R-92/011).
- BEIR VI Report — Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon — National Academy of Sciences, 1999. Definitive US assessment of radon-lung-cancer dose-response. nap.edu BEIR VI
- WHO Handbook on Indoor Radon (2009) — International epidemiology + clinical synthesis. who.int handbook
Authority resource FAQ
Common Pennsylvania Radon Resource Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I download the EPA radon guide for free?
The EPA "A Citizen's Guide to Radon" (EPA 402/K-12/002) is published free at epa.gov/radon. It is the foundational US consumer guide to indoor radon — covering health effects, testing methods, mitigation options, and the EPA action level. Spanish-language version also available at the same URL. The companion document, "Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon" (EPA 402/K-13/002), addresses real-estate-transaction-specific guidance.
How do I verify an Pennsylvania radon contractor's NRPP certification?
Search the National Radon Proficiency Program directory at nrpp.info — enter the contractor's name or NRPP certification number to see active credentials, certification type (measurement vs mitigation), and expiration date. NRPP certifications expire every 2 years; verify the contractor's cert is current before scheduling work. For Pennsylvania-specific dual-credential verification, also check the PA DEP Radon Division registration list.
How do I verify an Pennsylvania radon contractor's PA DEP certification (Title 25 Pa. Code Chapter 240)?
Pennsylvania requires both NRPP/NRSB national certification AND Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) state registration for any radon mitigation work in Pennsylvania. Call the PA DEP Radon Division at 717-783-3594 to verify a specific contractor's state registration, or request the current list of registered Pennsylvania mitigators. Pennsylvania Radon Experts verifies both credentials independently before routing leads to any partner contractor.
Where can I find Pennsylvania school radon test results?
Pennsylvania does not legally mandate school radon testing; PA DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection encourages voluntary testing in EPA Zone 1 counties to test occupied ground-contact spaces every 5 years. Test results are filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and PA DEP. Public-records requests for specific school results can be submitted through the Pennsylvania Department of Education or directly through the school district. Aggregate Pennsylvania school radon data is published in academic literature, notably by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
What Pennsylvania universities or institutions conduct radon research?
The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health conducts ongoing residential radon and lung cancer attribution research, particularly through the Pennsylvania radon-lung-cancer research (multi-institution) (one of the largest US case-control studies linking residential radon to lung cancer outcomes). Pennsylvania Geological Survey (PA DCNR Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey) publishes on Pennsylvania-specific radon geology (uranium-bearing Reading Prong gneiss and granite + Appalachian Plateau Devonian shale + Cambrian-Ordovician carbonate karst). Both maintain publication archives accessible through their respective university libraries.
Is residential radon testing covered by Pennsylvania Medicaid?
No. Residential radon test kits and professional mitigation are NOT covered by Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicare, or any major commercial health insurance carrier in 2026. Radon is classified as an environmental hazard rather than a medical service. Self-pay test kits cost $15-30 (hardware store, ALA, or PA DEP); professional mitigation $800-$2,500. Some Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) products allow mitigation cost to be financed into a home loan.
Need to act on a radon test result?
Pennsylvania Radon Experts routes Pennsylvania homeowners to NRPP-certified + PA DEP-certified partner contractors. Free quote within 24 hours · $800-$2,500 typical install.