Timberlake is a census-designated place in Campbell County with 13,267 residents as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Lynchburg metro area, about 10.4 miles and a 17-minute drive from the city. If you live here and have never tested your home for radon, this page explains the basics.
Call (434) 455-8258 and you will be connected with licensed and insured local radon testing and mitigation professionals. We connect you with them; we are not the contractor.
Why test a home in Timberlake
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. You cannot see, smell or taste it. Testing is the only way to know what the level is in a particular home.
The Virginia Department of Health reports that high radon results have been found in every Virginia county, including counties marked low risk on EPA's map. Campbell County is no exception to that advice. EPA recommends testing all homes below the third floor.
Weather and closed-house living
Timberlake has hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters. When the weather turns cool, many households keep windows shut for weeks at a time. Short-term radon tests are done under closed-house conditions anyway, so the test sits in the lowest lived-in level with windows and outside doors kept closed except for normal coming and going.
What a radon problem looks like in a house
Radon can enter through cracks in floors and walls, gaps around pipes and wires, sump pits, crawl spaces and other foundation openings. New homes and older homes can both have a problem, with or without a basement. That matters in a place with many suburban subdivisions near Timberlake Road and U.S. Route 460.
Results are measured in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or higher and says to consider fixing it between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
How mitigation works
The most common method is active soil depressurization. A vent pipe and fan draw radon from beneath the foundation and release it above the roof line. For a crawl space, a plastic membrane over the ground is usually used, with venting from beneath it.
EPA does not recommend sealing cracks as the only fix. After a system is installed, EPA recommends retesting. A cost estimate comes after a professional looks at your foundation, home size and layout.
Buying or selling in Timberlake
Radon tests are often done during the inspection period of a home sale. A result from a previous owner may not reflect current conditions, especially after renovations.
Certified professionals
Virginia law requires anyone doing professional radon testing or mitigation to hold current NRSB or NRPP certification. Call (434) 455-8258 to be connected with local professionals for your Timberlake home.