Radon Standards of Practice

 

Standards and protocols for conducting radon measurement and mitigation activities have been available since the early 1990s, and were developed in several ways:  first, by EPA with radon industry input; second, under the ASTM standards development process; and third, by the ANSI-recognized American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) Consortium on National Radon Standards.

One or more of these standards have been recognized or adopted in several ways:  first, by various states with radon licensing or certification requirements; second, by EPA; and third, by national radon proficiency programs, of which there are two, the AARST-National Radon Proficiency Program (AARST-NRPP), and the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB).

Radon measurement and mitigation professionals should identify which standard and/or protocol they are following or comply with, usually determined by the state certification program or national certification program they participate in. 

Here are the currently available standards, listed from most recently produced to older standards.

Mitigation

Single Family

• AARST-NRPP
  • Soil Gas Mitigation Standards for Existing Homes (SGM-SF 2017 w/ 12/20 revisions)
    This standard specifies practices, minimum requirements and, general guidance for reducing soil gas entry into existing homes in order to mitigate occupant exposures to certain hazardous soil gases, including radon gas, chemical vapors and other hazardous gases. It is applicable to residential structures including: those not more than three (3) stories above-grade in height, those often classified as single-family structures, and those that contain not more than four attached dwelling units on a contiguous foundation.
    
    Copies of SGM-SF 2017 w/ 12/20 revisions may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website. 
     
• ASTM

  • Standard Practice for Radon Mitigation Systems in Existing Low-Rise Residential Buildings*
    For this standard on mitigating radon in homes, see ASTM E2121-12.
    Copies of E2121-12 may be purchased from ASTM International, or from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.

*American Society for Testing and Materials International, or ASTMI; an American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, approved consensus standard.

Note: As of May 2006, EPA's Radon Mitigation Standards (EPA 402-R-93-078, Revised April 1994) are no longer recommended or available.

• EPA

• Radon Reduction Techniques for Existing Detached Houses: Technical Guidance (Third Edition) for Active Soil Depressurization Systems

This technical guidance document has been prepared to serve as a comprehensive aid in the detailed selection, design, installation, and operation of indoor radon reduction measures for existing houses based on active soil depressurization techniques. It is intended for use by radon mitigation contractors, building contractors, concerned homeowners, state and local officials and other interested persons. Office of Research and Development

Download a copy of the document from NSCEP (TXT, 334 pp)| EPA 625/R-93-011, October 1993

                                                                                                                                                                                              

Multifamily

• AARST-NRPP

  • Radon Mitigation Standards for Multifamily Buildings (RMS-MF 2018 w/ 12/20 revisions)
    This new American National Standard addresses the complexities of properly mitigating multifamily dwelling over four units that require specialize techniques and quality assurance.

    Copies of RMS-MF 2018 may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website. 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Large Buildings/Schools

• AARST-NRPP

  • Radon Mitigation Standards for Schools and Large Buildings (RMS-LB 2018)
    This new American National Standard addresses the complexities of properly mitigating radon in large and complicated building structures that require specialized techniques and quality assurance to address complicated building designs and specialized airflow.

    Copies of RMS-LB 2014 may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.

Measurement

Single Family

• AARST-NRPP

  • Protocols for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Homes (MAH 2019)
    This American National Standard is the first complete consensus standard and is an update of the 1993 EPA Protocol on Radon and Radon Decay Measurement in Homes.

    Copies of MAH 2019 may be viewed online for purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or purchased from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.

• EPA

  • Protocols for Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurements in Homes
    This document presents the U.S. EPA's technical guidance for measuring radon concentrations in residences. It contains protocols for measuring radon for the purpose of deciding on the need for remedial action, as presented in the 1992 A Citizen's Guide to Radon, and in the Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon.

    PDF Version (47 pp, 674 K, About PDF) | EPA 402-R-92-003, May 1993* this is a corrected document number
     

  • Indoor Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurement Device Protocols
    This document provides information, recommendations, and technological guidance for anyone providing measurement services using 15 radon and radon decay product measurement methods. These protocols provide method-specific technological guidance that can be used as the basis for standard operating procedures.

    HTML Version | EPA 402-R-92-004, July 1992

 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

Multifamily

• AARST-NRPP

  • Protocol for Conducting Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurements in Multifamily Buildings (MAMF-2017 with 1/2021 revisions).
    This ANSI/AARST standard is for measuring radon levels in multifamily housing.

    Copies of ANSI-AARST MAMF-2017 may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                       

Large Buildings/Schools

• AARST-NRPP

  • Protocols for Measuring Radon and Radon Decay Products in School and Large Buildings (MALB 2014)
    This new American National Standard addresses the complexities of properly measuring radon in large and complicated building structures that require specialize techniques and quality control and assurance to address complicated building designs and specialized airflow.

    Copies of MALB 2014 may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.
    
    Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.

• EPA

  • Radon Measurement in Schools (Revised Edition - Second Printing)
    This report was prepared to provide school administrators and facilities managers with instructions on how to test for the presence of radon. The findings from EPA's comprehensive studies of radon measurements in schools were incorporated into these recommendations. This report superseded Radon Measurements in Schools - An Interim Report.

    PDF Version (51 pp, 1.3 M) This document is only available on-line

RRNC

• AARST-NRPP
  • Reducing Radon in New Construction of 1 & 2 Family Dwellings and Townhouses (CCAH-2020)
    ANSI/AARST has released "RRNC 2.0 Reducing Radon in New Construction of 1 & 2 Family Dwellings and Townhouses" to control for radon in the construction of new residential homes

 

Copies of ANSI-AARST CCAH-2020 may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.

Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.
 

• Soil Gas Control Systems In New Constrution of Buildings (CC-1000-2018)
  This document does not address 1 & 2 Family Dwellings and Townhouses that are three stories or fewer above grade. The provisions in this standard provide prescriptive minimum requirements for multi-family dwellings and other buildings intended for human occupancy.
  
  Copies of ANSI-AARST CC-1000 2018 may be purchased from the Association of Radon Scientist and Technologists or from the American National Standards Institute.
  
  Or view online (only) for free from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website.
   

 

• ASTM

  • Standard Practice for Radon Control Options for the Design and Construction of New Low-Rise Residential Buildings*
    This standard is to control for radon in new residential construction.
    Copies of ASTM E1465-08a may be purchased at the ASTM Bookstore.

    *ASTM E1465-08a; January, 2009.

 

• EPA

  • Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings.
    It is typically easier and much less expensive to design and construct a new building with radon-resistant and/or easy-to-mitigate features, than to add these features after the building is completed and occupied.

    Download a copy of the document from NSCEP | EPA 625-R-92-016, June 1994