Radon Mitigation in Media
High radon risk from Wissahickon schist and associated Piedmont metamorphic rocks underlying Delaware County's upland plateau. Media, as the county seat, sits on Precambrian to early Paleozoic schist and gneiss with naturally elevated uranium content. The Wissahickon formation's foliated structure creates planar fracture pathways that channel radon gas efficiently toward the surface.
High Radon Risk Area
Media sits in EPA Zone 1 — testing is recommended for every home regardless of age or foundation type.
Local Geology & Risk Factors
Media is located in an area with Piedmont Upland / Wissahickon Schist geology, which contributes to elevated radon levels. The Pennsylvania DEP identifies this region as having significant radon potential due to uranium-bearing rock formations.
Testing is essential because radon levels can vary significantly between neighboring homes based on construction, soil permeability, and ventilation.
See Pennsylvania radon levels and EPA radon zone classifications →
Quick Facts
- Median home value: $398,400 · Median year built: 1960
- Population: 5,868
- Foundation types: Basement (predominant in borough and suburban homes); Stone foundation (pre-1920 homes near State Street); Crawlspace
Delaware County Context
Media is a municipality of Delaware County, EPA Zone 1. Zone designation is assigned at the county level, so Media inherits its classification; countywide aggregate figures live on the county page.
See Delaware County radon aggregate data →Measured Radon Data for Media
This unusually high reading may reflect a source data anomaly or a single-home outlier; individual home results vary widely.
Source: PA DEP RadonZip Tool, January 1990 – December 2025 · Updated 2026-05-20
Radon Mitigation Cost in Media
Active sub-slab depressurization (ASD) systems in Media typically cost $1,100–$2,700. Standard basement installs on modern poured concrete fall at the lower end; historic foundations, block-wall depressurization, multi-point suction, and crawlspace encapsulation push costs higher.
Foundations covered locally
- Basement (predominant in borough and suburban homes)
- Stone foundation (pre-1920 homes near State Street)
- Crawlspace
Systems used in the region
- Active sub-slab depressurization
- Block wall depressurization
- Radon-resistant new construction (RRNC)
Certification & Compliance
All Pennsylvania radon testing and mitigation professionals must hold active PA DEP certification. Ask any contractor for their certification number and verify it before signing.
Pennsylvania's Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (68 Pa.C.S. §§ 7301–7315) requires sellers to disclose known material defects to buyers under § 7303; the mandated disclosure form records radon under § 7304(b)(14). Sellers who have never tested are not compelled to test — § 7308 imposes no affirmative duty to investigate — but pre-listing testing is standard practice across most PA markets.
Under 25 Pa. Code § 240 — the Pennsylvania chapter governing radon certification — every radon service provider working in the Commonwealth must hold current DEP certification. Verify the contractor's status via the DEP Radon Services Directory before hiring.
Verify Contractor Certification — PA DEP Official Directory for Media, Delaware County
View PA DEP Certified Contractor DirectoryThe PA Department of Environmental Protection maintains the official list of certified radon testers and mitigators, sorted by county and updated monthly. Always verify certification before hiring any contractor.
Directory resource provided by PA DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection, Radon Division.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wissahickon schist and why does it produce radon in Media?
Wissahickon schist is a Precambrian to early Paleozoic metamorphic rock that underlies much of Delaware County. It formed from ocean-floor sediments compressed and heated during continental collisions. The metamorphic process concentrated trace uranium within the rock's mineral structure. The schist's foliated (layered) texture creates planar fracture networks that efficiently channel radon gas from bedrock to the surface, particularly where overlying soil is thin.
Is radon risk uniform across Media and surrounding Delaware County?
No. Radon levels vary significantly within short distances in Media because the Wissahickon schist's uranium content is not uniform — it depends on the specific mineral composition of local outcrops. Homes on ridgelines with thin soil cover over fractured schist tend to have higher concentrations than homes in valley bottoms with thicker weathered soil cover. Individual home testing is essential regardless of neighborhood averages.
What does radon mitigation cost in Media?
Media area radon mitigation typically costs $1,100–$2,700. Older stone-foundation borough homes cost more than standard suburban construction. Larger Delaware County homes require more extensive systems. Request quotes from DEP-certified Delaware County contractors.
What's the average radon level in Media?
Media's DEP-recorded basement average is 4.09 pCi/L across 8,556 tests. The EPA action level for mitigation is 4.0 pCi/L, so a sizable share of Media homes exceed the threshold. The highest single result in the local dataset is 284.8 pCi/L; this unusually high reading may reflect a source data anomaly or a single-home outlier — individual home results vary widely.
Do homes in Media need to be tested for radon?
Delaware County is EPA Zone 1 — the highest radon-potential classification — so every home in Media should be tested regardless of age, foundation type, or neighborhood. Short-term charcoal or continuous monitor tests take 48–96 hours and cost $15–$50; long-term alpha-track tests run 90 days and better represent annual averages. If the result meets or exceeds 4.0 pCi/L, mitigation by a DEP-certified professional is recommended.
How much does radon mitigation cost in Media?
Active sub-slab depressurization (ASD) systems in the Media area typically cost $1,100–$2,700. Standard basement installations on modern poured-concrete foundations fall at the lower end; historic foundations, block-wall depressurization, multi-point suction, and crawlspace encapsulation push costs toward the upper end. All work must be performed by a DEP-certified mitigation professional under 25 Pa. Code § 240.
Is radon disclosure required when selling a home in Media?
Pennsylvania's Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (68 Pa.C.S. §§ 7301–7315) requires residential sellers to disclose known material defects to buyers (§ 7303). The state-mandated disclosure form covers 'presence of hazardous substances' at § 7304(b)(14) — where any known elevated radon test result or existing mitigation system is recorded. Sellers who have never tested are not required to test: § 7308 imposes no affirmative duty to investigate. In Media, the practical reality is that most buyers request radon testing during the inspection contingency period. Sellers who test and mitigate before listing eliminate the most common contract contingency and preserve negotiating position.
Which ZIP codes does the Media radon data cover?
The Media radon dataset on this page covers ZIP code 19063. These are the ZCTAs assigned to Media in the Census 2020 ZCTA-to-Place relationship file and used for the PA DEP RadonZip Tool aggregation. Neighboring ZIP codes belong to adjacent municipalities and appear on their own PA Radon Hub pages.
Are Media-area public schools subject to SB 760?
Delaware County is in EPA Zone 1 and is served by 17 school districts: Chester-Upland School District, Chichester School District, Garnet Valley School District, Haverford Township School District, Interboro School District, Marple Newtown School District, Penn-Delco School District, Radnor Township School District, Ridley School District, Rose Tree Media School District, Southeast Delco School District, Springfield School District, Upper Darby School District, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, William Penn School District, Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, and West Chester Area School District. Pennsylvania Senate Bill 760, if enacted as drafted, would mandate radon testing in all public school buildings by the 2026–2027 academic year. The bill remains in committee. Buildings in Zone 1 counties like Delaware County would be highest priority under the proposed framework. If SB 760 is enacted, mitigation timelines, thresholds, and qualifying buildings would be set by the final bill text and any subsequent DEP implementing regulations. PA Radon Hub tracks this legislation; specific deadlines remain pending.
Connect with a DEP-Certified Radon Pro in Media
Submit your request and we will connect you with a DEP-certified professional serving Delaware County.
(717) 461-2427Connect with a DEP-certified radon pro