Radon is a radioactive gas that forms from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It has no color, smell or taste. If your home runs on a private well, some of that radon can be dissolved in the groundwater you use every day.
This page explains how well water radon works, how it is tested, and what treatment can look like. It also covers why the air inside your home is usually the first thing to check. Callers to (434) 455-8258 are connected with licensed and insured local radon testing and mitigation professionals who can go over both.
How radon in well water reaches the air
Groundwater moves through soil and rock before it reaches a well. Along the way it can pick up radon. When that water is used in the home, the dissolved radon can be released into the air you breathe.
Lynchburg sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the James River. That is the terrain your groundwater travels through. You cannot see, smell or taste radon in a glass of water, so a lab or professional test is the only way to find out what is there.
Why air radon is usually the larger concern
For most homes, radon in the air is the larger concern. Radon enters homes through cracks in floors and walls, gaps around pipes and wires, sump pits, crawl spaces and other foundation openings. EPA says radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked.
That is why an air test comes first, even for a home on a well. A well water result does not replace an air test, and an air result does not tell you about the water. They answer two different questions.
Testing well water separately from air
Well water is tested separately from air. An air test measures radon 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. A water test is its own step with its own sample, so ask a qualified professional how to collect it and where it should go.
If you want the details on air testing, see the radon testing page. In short, a short-term test stays in place from 2 to 90 days and a long-term test stays more than 90 days. Both are placed in the lowest lived-in level.
A home in Madison Heights, Forest, Timberlake, Rustburg or anywhere else in the county can have a different result from its neighbor. High radon results have been found in every Virginia county, including counties marked low risk on EPA's map, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Testing your own home is the only way to know.
Treatment options for radon in water
Two treatment approaches are used for radon in private well water: aeration and granular activated carbon. Each is installed to treat the water before it is used in the home. The right choice depends on your well and your water test results.
A qualified professional can look at your situation and explain which approach fits. Cost depends on the home and the setup, so a quote comes after someone has looked at it. No one can honestly promise a result before testing.
Air and water together
If your air test is high, the usual path is a system that draws radon from beneath the foundation and vents it above the roof line. That is called active soil depressurization, and the mitigation systems page covers it. Water treatment is a separate piece of the picture and does not take the place of an air fix.
Winter is a good time to think about this. Lynchburg averages about 36 degrees F in January, and homes tend to stay closed up through the cool months. Closed windows mean radon released indoors has fewer ways out. Snowfall averages about 11.6 inches a season, with February typically the snowiest month, so many households spend more time inside.
Buying or selling a home with a well
Radon tests are often done during the inspection period of a home sale. If the home has a private well, ask whether the water has been tested too. A result from a previous owner may not reflect current conditions, especially after renovations.
This applies to older homes in neighborhoods like Rivermont, Daniel's Hill and Garland Hill, and to newer subdivisions in Forest and Timberlake. Any home can have elevated radon, new or old.
Hiring someone qualified
Virginia law (Code 32.1-229.01) requires current NRSB or NRPP certification to do professional radon testing or mitigation in the state. Ask any professional for proof of certification before you agree to work. When you call (434) 455-8258, you are connected with local professionals who handle radon testing and mitigation for Lynchburg, the nearby towns and the surrounding county.
After any mitigation work, EPA recommends retesting. It also recommends retesting every two years or so, and after major renovations. If you rely on a well, a call to (434) 455-8258 is a simple way to start sorting out what to test first.