EPA potential
Zone 1
Highest-potential category; predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L.
The clearest signal is the gap.
EPA’s zone map describes county-scale potential. The Tennessee dashboard describes a recent testing dataset. Neither replaces a measurement in the home.
EPA radon zone
1
Highest potential. Two independent sources place Perry County in Zone 1, associated with predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L.
Tennessee Radon Testing dashboard
“No Events pCi/L”- The tooltip’s own county label read “Perry.”
- The same result appeared on two separate loads.
- Median and maximum fields were blank.
- The pre/post charts show South Central Region aggregates, not Perry County counts.
Interpretation: no Perry County test events appear in the dashboard’s 2022–2023 dataset. This does not mean no Perry County home has radon.
Building codes
No code-based radon safety net.
The State Fire Marshal lists the county and both incorporated cities as opted out of Tennessee’s residential enforcement program.
Showing all three jurisdictions.
Perry County
The State Fire Marshal’s jurisdiction table lists Perry County as OPT OUT. No county building code or IRC adoption was found, and the county is absent from the short list of counties where a state residential permit is required.
Radon-resistant construction optionalCity of Linden
Linden is also listed OPT OUT. The MTAS code library, updated through September 2, 2003, shows a 1994 Standard Building Code adoption—not an IRC. Its only named appendix is Appendix B, amended for permit fees; there is no radon appendix.
No radon appendixCity of Lobelville
The same State Fire Marshal table lists Lobelville as OPT OUT. The research did not establish a current local code edition or radon appendix.
Current code not establishedThe statewide rule does not fill the gap
Tennessee’s state program adopts the 2018 IRC and Appendix Q only. Appendix F—the 2018 IRC’s Radon Control Methods appendix—is not adopted. And in Perry County’s opt-out jurisdictions, the state IRC does not apply to one- and two-family homes at all.
What remains open
Opt-out resolution numbers and dates; whether Linden has updated Title 12 since the 2003 MTAS codification.
No county-specific radon rule was found.
Research found no Perry County or Linden rule for public buildings, schools, or real-estate transactions beyond Tennessee’s statewide framework.
A
Schools
A 2018 review classifies Tennessee as encouraging, rather than requiring, public-school radon testing. A bill proposed annual testing, but its passage was not verified and is not presented as law.
B
Residential disclosure
The statewide Tennessee Association of Realtors property-condition form asks sellers to answer yes, no or unknown about environmental hazards including radon gas. The form is not a warranty, and statutory exemptions apply.
C
Voluntary state inspection
Owners in opt-out or non-code jurisdictions may voluntarily request a State Fire Marshal inspection and Certificate of Occupancy under Tennessee law.
How do I find a certified radon professional in Perry 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.
For buyers and owners
Test the home, not the ZIP code.
- Put radon in the inspection planThe statewide disclosure form can surface known hazards, but it does not produce a current reading.
- Do not treat “No Events” as an all-clearIt means the state dashboard has no Perry County test events in its 2022–2023 dataset.
- Specify radon features in a new buildNo enforced local residential code was identified to require radon-resistant construction.
- Verify the person doing a transaction testCheck the professional’s current credential and ask how closed-house conditions will be maintained.
Testing resources
Start with a measurement.
Use the state dashboard for context, the national directory to verify listed credentials, and the State Fire Marshal’s pages to confirm what code framework applies before a project or transaction.
Test your home
- Request a free test kit from Tennessee’s TDEC radon program.
- Buy a kit by phone: 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236).
- Get live answers: 1-800-55RADON (1-800-557-2366).
- Find a certified professional: NRPP 800-269-4174 · NRSB 866-329-3474.
If a result comes back high
- Call the Fix-It Hotline at 1-800-644-6999 for general guidance on reducing radon.
- EPA recommends taking action at 4 pCi/L and considering action between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
Why it matters
- 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.
- Smoking combined with radon raises lung-cancer risk by roughly ~9×.
- About 1 in 15 homes has a high radon level.
- The American Lung Association offers a free Radon Basics course.
Retest on a schedule: Retest at least every 2 years if you have a mitigation system, and after renovations or changes to how you use the lowest floor. Test every home, including new construction.
Hotlines and action guidance: EPA and CDC. Health figures and course: American Lung Association.