Radon Mitigation in Woodbury, MN

From Farmland to Suburb in a Generation

Woodbury was mostly farmland until the late 1970s and then became one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Almost all of its housing dates from the 1980s onward, which makes it more uniform than anywhere on the west side of the river: two-storeys and walkouts on full basements, on rolling ground in the east metro. The newest neighborhoods toward the south end are largely post-2009 construction.

The Passive Pipe Nobody Tested

A Woodbury house built since June 2009 will have a passive radon system — a sealed pipe from under the basement slab up through the house into the attic. Owners often assume that means radon is handled. A passive pipe relies on natural draft, and whether it is enough depends on the house and the weather. It is almost never tested after the builder installs it. A 48-hour test answers the question, and if it is high, a fan in the attic usually finishes the job.

Finished Basements

Many of the 1990s and 2000s houses in Woodbury have had their basements finished since they were built, usually into family rooms, guest rooms and offices. Finishing turns a space people passed through into one they sleep in, and the work itself — framing, flooring, a bathroom cut into the slab — changes how the floor behaves. It is one of the clearest reasons to retest, even in a house that tested low when it was new.

Walkouts on Rolling Ground

Walkout basements are everywhere in Woodbury's hillier neighborhoods. The uphill wall is fully buried and the downhill side is open, so soil gas pressure is uneven around the foundation. On these houses where the suction point goes matters more than usual, and we measure suction across the slab rather than assuming one hole will reach it all.

Working in Woodbury

We cover all of Woodbury. Start with a 48-hour test. For newer houses, activating the passive pipe is usually enough; for older ones, a full sub-slab system, followed by a retest.

Woodbury Radon FAQs