Radon Testing in the Northwest Suburbs
Performed in-house by our own Illinois-licensed inspectors, from our base in Cary, IL.
The Short Answer
Radon testing from At Ease Inspections costs $275 and runs for 48 hours using LTE-connected continuous monitors that capture 288 readings, six times more than a standard monitor. Kane County (including Elgin) is EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest predicted tier; McHenry, Cook, DuPage and Lake counties are Zone 2. The EPA action level is 4.0 pCi/L.
Why Radon Testing Matters
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by uranium decaying in soil. It is colourless, odourless, and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. You cannot detect it without a test, and no county map can tell you what your specific house is doing.
That last point matters more than most people realise. EPA zone designations are county-level predictions based on geology, not measurements of your basement. Homes with elevated radon are found in all three zones.
What Our Radon Testing Covers
48-hour continuous monitoring
A closed-house test over a minimum 48-hour period, the protocol used for real estate transactions.
LTE-connected monitors
Our monitors capture 288 readings across the test period, six times more than a standard device, and report automatically over cellular.
Tamper detection
Continuous monitors record movement and conditions, so an interrupted or manipulated test is visible rather than silently invalid.
Clear results
An automated report showing the average, the reading pattern over time, and what the number means against the 4.0 pCi/L action level.
Radon Testing in the Northwest Suburbs
The county picture across our service area is genuinely mixed, and it is worth knowing which side of a line your house sits on. Kane County, which includes Elgin, is designated EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest predicted potential tier. McHenry, Cook, DuPage and Lake counties are Zone 2. Algonquin and Huntley straddle a county line and therefore straddle two designations.
Those designations still understate the case for testing. An Illinois Emergency Management Agency study found roughly four in ten Illinois homes tested came back at or above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L. A Zone 2 label is a prediction about a county, not a result for your basement.
Illinois law reinforces this. The Radon Awareness Act requires sellers to disclose known radon information and hand over the IEMA pamphlet, but it does not require anyone to test or mitigate. If a test is going to happen, the buyer usually has to ask for it. And homes built under the 2013 Radon Resistant Construction Act should have passive radon-resistant features, which reduce risk but do not guarantee a low reading.
Finished basements make this practical rather than theoretical. Across Lake in the Hills, Algonquin and Huntley, lower levels are living space: bedrooms, offices, playrooms. That is where people spend hours a day, and it is where radon concentrates.
Radon Testing Near You
We provide radon testing throughout the Northwest suburbs. These are the markets where it comes up most, and each page covers what we look for in that town specifically.
Also serving Barrington, McHenry, Woodstock and Schaumburg, plus surrounding communities across McHenry, Kane, Lake and Cook counties. See all service areas.
Radon Testing Questions
How much does radon testing cost?
Radon testing is $275 and can be added to any inspection or booked on its own. That covers a 48-hour continuous monitor test and the report.
Is radon a problem in McHenry County?
McHenry County is EPA Radon Zone 2, meaning a predicted average indoor screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L. That is a county-level prediction, not a measurement. An IEMA study found roughly four in ten Illinois homes tested were at or above the 4.0 pCi/L action level, so testing the individual home is the only way to know.
Why is Elgin different?
Elgin is mostly in Kane County, which the EPA designates Radon Zone 1, the highest predicted potential tier, one level above the neighbouring McHenry County towns.
Does Illinois require radon testing when buying a home?
No. The Illinois Radon Awareness Act requires sellers to disclose known radon information and provide the IEMA radon pamphlet, but no law requires testing or mitigation. Ordering the test is the buyer’s decision.
My home is new. Does it already have radon protection?
Illinois residential construction permitted after the 2013 Radon Resistant Construction Act must include passive radon-resistant features such as a vapour barrier and vent piping. Passive systems lower risk but do not guarantee a result below the action level, so we still recommend testing.
What happens if the result is high?
Readings at or above 4.0 pCi/L are the EPA action level for mitigation. Mitigation is a separate trade from inspection, and we do not sell it, which means our test result is not a sales pitch for our own follow-on work.
We're Here to Put You At Ease.
Book your inspection online or reach out with any questions, proudly serving the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.