01
Write testing into the deal
Use a radon test contingency. With no certified professional based in the county, arrange the test early enough for a provider to travel in.
The county picture
Testing is the only reliable safety net.
The county and Rutledge opted out of state residential code enforcement. Bean Station and Blaine remain under the state program, but Tennessee’s adopted residential code does not include the radon appendix. No part of Grainger County has a confirmed radon-resistant construction mandate.
Radon risk profile
EPA Zone
1
The EPA’s highest-potential category: predicted average indoor radon screening levels greater than 4 pCi/L. A zone is a planning signal, not a substitute for testing an individual home.
The state dashboard raises more questions than it answers.
!Grainger County values are not publishable
On two separate loads, the county-labeled tooltip returned the same average, median and maximum—but the displayed maximum was lower than the average. That is mathematically impossible.
We do not present any of those three figures as fact. The underlying dataset or a corrected dashboard is needed.
2×Same contradictory tooltip on two loads
2022–23Years covered by the dashboard
RegionBand charts aggregate by health region, not county
Building codes
A split county
The State Fire Marshal’s official jurisdiction table distinguishes opted-out areas from places where the state residential program applies. Even in the state-enforced towns, the radon appendix is not part of Tennessee’s adopted 2018 IRC.
Jurisdiction
Status
What it means for radon
Unincorporated Grainger CountyOpted out
No state residential building-code enforcement. No radon-resistant construction mandate.
RutledgeOpted out
No state residential standards apply. No radon-resistant construction mandate.
Bean StationState program
The State Fire Marshal enforces the 2018 IRC with amendments. Tennessee adopted Appendix Q only—not Appendix F, the 2018 radon appendix.
BlaineState program
The same state framework applies: 2018 IRC, but no adopted radon appendix.
F
The missing appendixAppendix F is “Radon Control Methods” in the 2018 IRC. Tennessee’s statewide adoption names Appendix Q for tiny houses but not Appendix F, and excludes optional or recommended provisions. The result: radon-resistant new construction is optional in Bean Station and Blaine.
How do I find a certified radon professional in Grainger County?
Tennessee doesn't license radon testers or mitigators, so national certification is the best way to check qualifications. The Tennessee Radon Program points residents to two directories: search them by ZIP code and widen the radius if nothing is listed nearby.
We don't recommend or rank companies. Before you hire, check the certification number in the directory yourself and ask for a follow-up test after any system is installed. Questions to ask a radon professional.
Homebuyer guidance
Do not infer safety from a new address.
Tennessee does not require a radon test in a home sale. Sellers disclose hazards they know about, but they are not required to test and may answer “Unknown.” Grainger County’s code landscape adds no dependable new-construction backstop.
02
Test new homes, too
Do not assume a new house has a gas-permeable layer, soil-gas retarder, vent rough-in or other radon-ready features.
03
Let the house decide
Zone maps describe regional potential. Foundation type, geology and construction details vary—even among nearby Cherokee Lake properties. Only a test answers for a specific home.
Questions answered
Grainger County radon FAQ
Short answers grounded in the official jurisdiction table, Tennessee’s residential code rule and the state dashboard review.
Yes. Grainger County is EPA Radon Zone 1, the highest-potential category, with a predicted indoor screening average above 4 pCi/L. That designation supports testing; it does not predict the result in any one house.
No. The county and Rutledge are opted out of the state residential program. Bean Station and Blaine are state-enforced, but Tennessee’s 2018 IRC adoption does not include Appendix F, the radon appendix.
The state dashboard produced the same county-labeled values on two loads, but the displayed maximum was below the average. Because that cannot be correct, all three tooltip values are withheld pending the underlying dataset or a dashboard correction.
No. State disclosure practice covers known environmental hazards, including radon, but does not impose a duty to test. Buyers should make testing part of their own due diligence.
No county- or municipal-specific radon rule for schools, public buildings or real-estate transactions was found. Tennessee encourages schools to address radon through indoor-air-quality programs, but no statewide school testing mandate was verified.
Source ledger
Read the record
Core claims rely on official Tennessee sources where available. National directories and EPA's zone map supply the professional and risk context. All were reviewed October 16, 2026 unless noted otherwise.
- Tennessee SFMO jurisdiction table — Grainger County and Rutledge “OPT OUT”; Bean Station and Blaine “SRBP.”
- SFMO Residential Permit FAQs — state enforcement and 2018 IRC framework.
- TN Rule 0780-02-23-.02 — 2018 IRC, Appendix Q and treatment of optional provisions.
- MTAS opt-out explainer — mechanics and renewal of local opt-outs.
- Tennessee Radon Testing dashboard — 2022–2023 county tooltip and regional band charts.
- Grainger County profile — EPA Zone 1 designation.
- Radon in Schools review — Tennessee policy classified as “Encourage.”
- Tennessee HB1269 text — a proposed school radon measure; not verified as enacted.