York County radon starts in the rock: porous limestone under the Codorus valley and uranium-rich slate in the south. Why the county is EPA Zone 1, and what private well owners need to test.
Chapters
Transcript
0:00 York County radon starts in the rock. The EPA places the county in Zone One, its highest-potential band, alongside Lancaster.
0:10 Beneath York city and the Codorus valley lie limestone and dolomite, porous fractured rock that lets radon move through easily.
0:20 The Peach Bottom slate belt across the southern townships carries more uranium than average and produces some of the county's highest readings.
0:30 About one York household in five uses a private well, where dissolved radon escapes into the air during showers, laundry and dishwashing.
0:40 Here's the catch: a slab system can't fix water radon, so high readings need aeration, which strips it and vents it outdoors.
0:50 The rock isn't going anywhere, so test air first, then well water. Find certified contractors at Radon Mitigation In York dot com.
Key points
- York County radon comes from the rock underneath it. The EPA puts the county in Zone 1, its highest-potential band, along with Lancaster County.
- Under York city and the Codorus valley lie limestone and dolomite: porous, fractured rock that lets radon move through easily.
- The Peach Bottom slate belt across the southern townships carries more uranium than average and produces some of the county's highest readings.
Private wells
- About one York County household in five uses a private well. Radon dissolved in well water escapes into the air during showers, laundry and dishwashing.
- A slab system cannot fix radon in water. High water readings need an aeration system, which strips the radon out and vents it outdoors.
What to do
Test the air first, then the well water.
Find a contractor in York
Compare radon in water specialists and DEP-certified testers, check radon levels by ZIP code, or read the full geology and well water guide.
Read the full guide: Radon in York County: why levels run high, and radon in well water
