Houston County Radon · Tennessee
Houston County is EPA Zone 2, Erin does not require radon-resistant construction, and no credentialed radon professional is based in the county. The practical takeaway is direct: test the home you have—or the home you are buying.
EPA zone: Zone 2Region: Middle TennesseeState test data: State test figures couldn't be confirmed, so they aren't shown
It can be. Houston County is in EPA Zone 2, where the predicted average indoor screening level is 2 to 4 pCi/L. Homes above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level are found in every zone, so a test is the only way to know your home's level.
No countywide requirement. Erin excludes every IRC appendix, the unincorporated county is recorded as opted out, and the state code that applies in Tennessee Ridge doesn't include the radon appendix. Local code details
Order a free short-term kit from the Tennessee Radon Program online or by calling 1-800-232-1139. Place it on the lowest lived-in floor, about 3 feet off the floor, for 3 to 5 days, then mail it back right away. How to test your home
EPA recommends fixing your home if radon is 4 pCi/L or higher, and considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Confirm a high short-term result with a second test first. What your result means
Tennessee doesn't license radon professionals, so look for NRPP or NRSB certification. Search both national directories by ZIP code; certified professionals often serve Houston County from nearby cities. How to choose a radon professional
Erin expressly excludes every IRC appendix. Unincorporated Houston County has no county code identified in the published record, while Tennessee Ridge relies on state residential enforcement but leaves the radon appendix question open.
No countywide mandate was verified. Erin does not require it. Unincorporated Houston County is recorded as opted out of the state residential inspection program, though that record dates to 2011 and needs a current confirmation. In Tennessee Ridge, the state program enforces residential codes, but published sources did not establish whether the state adoption includes the radon appendix.
“No appendices are to be adopted under the International Building Code or the International Residential Code.”Erin Municipal Code, Title 12
No radon-specific rules were found for local public buildings, schools, or real-estate transactions in Houston County, Erin, or Tennessee Ridge. That differs from Metro Nashville’s public-building rule, which Houston County does not share.
That value comes from Tennessee Department of Health’s 2023 pre-mitigation dataset—not the state’s 2022–2023 Tableau dashboard.
TDH’s open dataset lists Houston County, FIPS 47083, at 3.8* pCi/L for 2023 pre-mitigation tests. It is a one-year average and should not be read as a prediction for any particular home.
EPA’s moderate-potential category: predicted average indoor radon levels of 2–4 pCi/L. A zone describes broad potential, not an individual house.
EPA zone definitionsTennessee 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.
Houston County recorded one building permit in 2025. Local code does not provide a countywide radon-ready backstop, so buyers should not assume a newer-looking home was built with radon controls.
Tennessee’s standard Residential Property Condition Disclosure explicitly names radon gas among environmental hazards. Disclosure is not a measurement. A test is what establishes the level in the home being considered.
View the disclosure form copyTDEC offers one free radon test kit per household and provides materials for homeowners, real-estate professionals, contractors, code officials, inspectors, and schools.
The state radon program is the clearest first step for a Houston County homeowner who wants to test.
1-800-232-1139Tennessee radon program hotlineEPA recommends taking action at 4 pCi/L and considering action between 2 and 4 pCi/L . Retest at least every 2 years if you have a mitigation system, and after renovations or changes to how you use the lowest floor.
Radon causes about 21,000 U.S. lung-cancer deaths each year. It is the second-leading cause overall and the leading cause among people who never smoked. Smokers face far higher risk: at 4 pCi/L, EPA estimates about 62 in 1,000 smokers could get lung cancer, versus about 7 in 1,000 people who never smoked. About one in 15 U.S. homes has a high level.
Free learning: the American Lung Association offers a Radon Basics course.
TDEC radon guidanceMethod note. This page distinguishes verified values from open questions. The 2023 TDH average is published with its unexplained asterisk intact. Unverified dashboard tooltip values are deliberately omitted, and health-region chart totals are not presented as county data.