--- title: "Radon-Resistant New Construction in Vermont" url: https://vermontradon.com/radon-resistant-new-construction-vermont/ description: "The five radon-resistant building features, the Health Department's $250 to $750 estimate, Vermont's energy code, and why to test after you move in." last_reviewed: 2026-10-17 source: "Vermont Department of Health; U.S. EPA; Vermont Department of Public Service; CRCPD. Each fact is footnoted to its source below." publisher: "Vermont Radon, an independent guide, not affiliated with the Vermont Department of Health or EPA. Not medical advice." --- # Radon-resistant new construction in Vermont The Vermont Department of Health says it costs less to build a home radon-resistant ($250 to $750) than to fix a radon problem later ($1,500 to $2,500).[^1] Either way, the EPA says every new home should be tested for radon after occupancy, even if it has radon-resistant features.[^2] ## The five radon-resistant features The Health Department’s fact sheet “Building Radon Resistant” lists these steps:[^1] 1. **A gas-permeable layer** below the slab or flooring system, often a 4-inch layer of clean gravel.[^1] 2. **Plastic sheeting** on top of the gas-permeable layer, which also blocks moisture.[^1] 3. **Sealing and caulking** all openings in the concrete floor.[^1] 4. **A vent pipe**, usually a 3- or 4-inch PVC pipe that vents above the roof.[^1] 5. **An electrical junction box** in case a radon fan needs to be added.[^1] The EPA describes the same basic features and says the cost to the builder of including them is typically less than the cost to mitigate the home after construction.[^3] ## What Vermont’s energy code says The Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES) are Vermont’s statewide residential energy code.[^4] In the 2024 code handbook, a radon mitigation system installed following EPA Standards of Practice and documented to the homeowner is listed among the points options builders can choose from.[^4] If you’re building, ask your builder which radon-resistant features the house will have. ## Test after you move in The EPA says to test every new home after occupancy, even if it has radon-resistant features.[^2] If the result is 4.0 pCi/L or higher, the Health Department and EPA recommend reducing radon.[^5] In a radon-resistant home, the junction box is there in case a radon fan needs to be added.[^1] ## Test your new home Order the Health Department Lab’s long-term kit for $25[^6] and leave it in place for 3 to 12 months, ideally including a heating season.[^5] **Want to see levels day to day?** A digital monitor measures and records radon continuously while it has power.[^7] Use it alongside the lab test, not instead of it: CRCPD says to check a consumer monitor’s results with an approved test.[^8] [Order the $25 long-term kit](https://vdh.webapps.aidcvt.com/water_supplies/radon) [See Airthings monitors](https://discount.airthings.com?aw_affiliate=eyJjYW1wYWlnbl9pZCI6IjEiLCJ0cmFmZmljX3NvdXJjZSI6InZlcm1vbnRyYWRvbi5jb20iLCJhY2NvdW50X2lkIjoyNDI1N30) (Affiliate link) If you buy through the Airthings link, Vermont Radon may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. [How we make money](https://vermontradon.com/how-we-make-money/) Enter `vtradon-10OFF` for 10% off at checkout. Airthings ships only within the US. The state lab kit is not an affiliate link. To order by phone, call 802-338-4736 or 800-660-9997.[^5] ## Common questions ### Do new homes in Vermont have radon? High radon levels have been found in all types of homes in every area of Vermont.[^9] The EPA says every new home should be tested for radon after occupancy, even if it has radon-resistant features.[^2] ### How much does radon-resistant construction cost? The Health Department says it costs less to build radon-resistant ($250 to $750) than to fix a radon problem later ($1,500 to $2,500).[^1] ### Does Vermont’s building code require radon-resistant construction? In Vermont’s 2024 residential energy code (RBES), a radon mitigation system installed following EPA Standards of Practice is listed among the points options a builder can choose.[^4] ## Next steps - [How to test your home](https://vermontradon.com/how-to-test/) - [Fixing radon and costs](https://vermontradon.com/fixing-radon/) - [Buying or selling a home](https://vermontradon.com/buying-or-selling/) - [When to test in Vermont](https://vermontradon.com/when-to-test-radon-vermont/) ## Sources [^1]: **Vermont Department of Health**. [Building Radon Resistant (fact sheet, June 2025)](https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/document/env-hh-radon-building-radon-resistant.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17. [^2]: **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**. [How to Protect Your Family from Radon When Buying a Newly Built Home](https://www.epa.gov/radon/buying-new-home-how-protect-your-family-radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^3]: **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**. [Radon-Resistant Construction Basics and Techniques](https://www.epa.gov/radon/radon-resistant-construction-basics-and-techniques). Checked 2026-10-17. [^4]: **Vermont Department of Public Service**. [Vermont Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES) Handbook, Fifth Edition, effective July 1, 2024](https://publicservice.vermont.gov/sites/dps/files/documents/2024-VT_Residential_Energy_Code_Handbook_Clean%20Draft%207-1-24.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17. [^5]: **Vermont Department of Health**. [Radon in Your Home](https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/healthy-homes/radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^6]: **Vermont Department of Health Laboratory**. [Radon Test Kits (Health Department Lab webstore)](https://vdh.webapps.aidcvt.com/water_supplies/radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^7]: **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**. [Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon (EPA 402/K-24/001, March 2024)](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-05/documents/hmbuygud.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17. [^8]: **Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD)**. [Consumer Digital Radon Monitors (CRCPD guidance, reprinted in The Radon Reporter, Q4 2025, p. 39)](https://aarst.org/TheRadonReporter/Radon-Reporter-December-2025/39). Checked 2026-10-17. [^9]: **Vermont Department of Health**. [Testing for Radon in Your Home (fact sheet, July 2025)](https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/document/env-hh-radon-testing-for-radon-in-your-home.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17.