Home & Property · Statewide
Test for Radon Before Finishing a Basement
A basement renovation is a useful time to test radon, because lower-level living space can change the exposure picture.
Published June 23, 2026 · Last verified June 23, 2026
Finishing a basement can turn a storage level into bedrooms, play space, or a home office, so radon belongs in the planning folder. NYS Health recommends fixing a home when radon test results are 4 pCi/L or higher. A home should be retested if living patterns change and people begin occupying a lower level, such as a basement. Testing before drywall and flooring also gives an owner time to price mitigation with the rest of the project.
The next check is simple: use a radon test kit or certified tester, keep the result with the renovation records, and ask whether mitigation should be designed before the room is finished.
Handled early, this is more like a paper-trail check than a warning sign.
Keep the radon test result, test date, and home address with the basement project. Use the New York State Department of Health radon information when deciding what the result means and what to do before finishing the space.