Radon Mitigation in Ames, IA

Radon mitigation in Ames, IA is not a nice-to-have; the geology settled that a long time ago. Ice Age glaciers ground uranium-bearing rock from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario into the till that central Iowa sits on, and that till’s uneven mix of clay, sand, and gravel channels soil gas straight at foundations. The result is the worst radon numbers in the country: Iowa’s indoor average is 8.5 pCi/L against a 1.3 national average, 71.6% of the state’s homes meet or exceed the EPA action level, and every Iowa county, Story County included, carries the EPA’s Zone 1 designation.

How mitigation works in Ames housing

The standard fix is sub-slab depressurization, and Ames construction suits it well. Central Iowa homes are basement homes, typically with a sump pit and perimeter drain tile, which gives a mitigation system natural points to work with. A suction point goes through the slab (or into the sump, sealed with an airtight lid), a vent pipe runs to the roofline, and an inline fan holds negative pressure under the foundation so soil gas exits above the roof instead of through the basement.

The housing stock sets the difficulty. In Old Town’s brick homes, some standing since the 1890s, the work is about routing: older foundations, stone or early concrete, need thoughtful suction-point placement and careful sealing. In mid-century neighborhoods the slab work is routine. And in North Ames new construction (Scenic Valley, Northridge Heights) and the new Ansley development, homes built after July 1, 2026 now include a passive radon pipe by law, which means “mitigation” there is often just adding the fan.

What the law says, plainly

Iowa Code 136B requires anyone performing radon mitigation for hire to hold an Iowa HHS credential: approved measurement and mitigation coursework plus a proficiency exam. This is worth knowing as a homeowner because it gives you a one-question filter for any quote you receive: “What’s your Iowa credential?” The state keeps the roster.

What success looks like

A mitigation job isn’t done when the fan spins; it’s done when a post-mitigation test proves the number. The target is below 4.0 pCi/L, and well-executed systems in Iowa routinely land under 2.0. The system’s manometer (a simple U-tube gauge on the pipe) then gives you a permanent at-a-glance check that the fan is pulling.

Free quotes across Ames and Story County: Nevada, Story City, Huxley, Gilbert, and Slater. Call, describe your house and your test result if you have one, and you’ll get a straight answer about what it needs.