Radon Testing & Mitigation in Iowa City, IA

Iowa City radon projects typically invoice $150 to $2,500, with measurement tests at $150-$250 and full ASD mitigation on Johnson County’s mix of dense University of Iowa rental stock, faculty homes, and pre-1980 basement-heavy housing running $1,200-$2,500. IARadonMitigation is an Iowa scheduled-testing and ASD-mitigation referral directory — call PHONE to be matched with an IDPH-licensed contractor serving Downtown, Northside, Goosetown, and the rest of Johnson County across ZIPs 52240, 52242, 52245, and 52246.

How the referral works in Iowa City

IARadonMitigation operates a scheduled pay-per-call referral directory. We do not perform testing or mitigation. Calls route to independent IDPH-licensed contractors regulated under Iowa Code Chapter 136B with NRPP or NRSB credentialing verified. Iowa is a one-party consent state under Iowa Code § 808B.2.

What our Iowa City network handles

48-to-96-hour short-term radon testing under closed-house conditions
Long-term alpha-track confirmation testing
ASD installation on University-area pre-1980 basement-heavy rental and faculty housing
Multi-unit rental-property testing under Iowa landlord-tenant best practice
Sub-membrane depressurization for older Goosetown and Northside crawlspace homes
RRNC verification on newer Coralville-border subdivisions
Post-mitigation verification testing
Real-estate-transfer testing for Iowa City and University Heights listings
Testing for the University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory’s epidemiological tie-ins to the Iowa Cancer Registry
Fan replacement on existing ASD systems

Typical cost in Iowa City

A short-term radon test runs $150-$250 (sometimes free or low-cost through Johnson County health department or University of Iowa Extension outreach programs). Long-term alpha-track is $50-$150. Standard ASD installation runs $1,200-$1,800; older Johnson County homes with stone basements or multi-zone foundations push to $1,800-$2,500. Post-mitigation verification is $150-$200. Cost data from HomeAdvisor, Angi, and AARST-NRPP regional surveys.

Real estate and Iowa City homeowners

Iowa City has one of the most radon-aware real-estate markets in Iowa, in part because the University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory and the Iowa Cancer Registry are both headquartered there. The Iowa Association of Realtors radon-rider applies to Iowa City listings. Pre-listing testing is increasingly standard. For rental property, while Iowa landlord-tenant law does not currently mandate radon testing, an increasing number of Johnson County landlords test and mitigate proactively — both as a tenant-relations matter and to head off any future health-claim exposure. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover mitigation.

How to choose a radon contractor in Iowa City

Verify IDPH license status at idph.iowa.gov
Confirm NRPP or NRSB credentialing
Confirm general liability and workers’ comp
Get the proposal in writing with suction point, pipe routing, fan model, verification schedule, warranty
For University-area pre-1980 stone-basement homes, ask whether the contractor has experience sealing irregular stone-and-mortar foundation walls — these often need additional sealing labor beyond a typical concrete-block basement
Save installation photos, manometer reading, and post-mitigation report

Frequently asked questions

Why is Iowa City so radon-aware compared to other Iowa metros?

The University of Iowa State Hygienic Laboratory has been Iowa's primary radon-testing laboratory for decades and runs much of the state's outreach education; the Iowa Cancer Registry, also headquartered at the University of Iowa, has tracked radon-attributable lung cancer in non-smokers as the leading environmental cause of lung cancer in Iowa. The combination produces unusually high public awareness in Johnson County, and pre-listing radon testing is now standard among local real-estate agents. The Iowa Department of Public Health Radon Program partners with both institutions on data and public education.

I rent a basement apartment in Iowa City. Can I ask my landlord to test for radon?

Yes, and increasingly Johnson County landlords welcome the conversation. Iowa landlord-tenant law (Iowa Code Chapter 562A) does not currently require radon testing on rental property, but EPA strongly recommends testing every lowest-livable-level unit — and a basement apartment is exactly that. Reasonable practice is to ask the landlord (in writing) whether the property has been tested and to share any results. If the result is above 4 pCi/L, mitigation cost falls on the landlord as a building-system improvement. Some Iowa City landlords proactively install ASD and document it as a feature in their listings.

Are there low-cost radon test kits available through Johnson County?

Periodically yes — the Johnson County Public Health Department, the Iowa Department of Public Health Radon Program, and Iowa State University Extension all run free or low-cost short-term test-kit distribution programs at different points in the year. Quality varies (charcoal canister kits are good for screening but a continuous radon monitor under closed-house conditions is the gold standard), and a kit result above 4 pCi/L should always be followed by a confirmatory test from an IDPH-licensed measurement specialist before mitigation contracting. Iowa Cancer Registry-affiliated outreach also occasionally provides kits at no cost.

Does the University of Iowa test the homes it owns or rents to faculty?

University-owned graduate-housing and rental properties are tested per institutional health-and-safety policy, and University-employee residences in University Heights are not directly tested by the University but are covered by the same Iowa Code Chapter 136B real-estate-disclosure framework as any private home in Johnson County. Faculty and staff buying a home in Iowa City should request a radon test as a normal part of the inspection contingency under the Iowa Association of Realtors radon rider.

Will an ASD system in an Iowa City stone-basement home affect basement humidity?

Marginally. An ASD fan continuously moves air from sub-slab soil and vents it outdoors; this can slightly reduce basement humidity by depressurizing the soil interface and reducing moisture intrusion through foundation cracks and floor joints. The effect is typically small (1-3% relative humidity reduction) and does not replace a dedicated dehumidifier if humidity is the primary concern. For Iowa City University-area homes with both radon and basement-moisture issues, EPA recommends sealing major foundation cracks as part of the mitigation scope, which also helps with moisture.

Service area

Our network covers Iowa City ZIPs 52240, 52242, 52245, and 52246, serving Downtown, Northside, Goosetown, University Heights, the University of Iowa campus area, and the broader Johnson County area including Coralville.

Schedule an Iowa City radon test or mitigation quote

For a real-estate-transfer test, University-area rental testing, faculty-home test, or full ASD installation in Iowa City, dial PHONE to be matched with an IDPH-licensed contractor through the IARadonMitigation network.