Radon Testing & Mitigation in New Hope, PA
New Hope sits on the Delaware River corridor in northeastern Bucks County, where Reading Prong crystalline bedrock transitions toward the surface. Bucks County is EPA Zone 1 — the highest risk designation — with residential radon test rates that consistently exceed the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level in a significant percentage of tested homes. The borough's older stone and frame construction provides minimal natural barriers to soil gas infiltration. Doylestown to the southwest shares the same county risk profile and DEP testing recommendations. Connecting with a DEP-certified mitigator before any real estate transaction in Bucks County is strongly advised.
High Radon Risk Area
New Hope sits in EPA Zone 1 — testing is recommended for every home regardless of age or foundation type.
Radon Testing in New Hope
In New Hope-area ZIP codes, 36% of 9,253 basement tests reported to PA DEP measured 4.0 pCi/L or higher, with a median of 2.8 pCi/L. Readings differ from house to house, so each home needs its own test. Start with a short-term test of 48–96 hours on the lowest lived-in level. A long-term test of 90 days or more averages out seasonal swings.
A result at or above EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level calls for a confirming test or mitigation. Retest after a mitigation system goes in, and at least every two years from then on. Pennsylvania requires DEP certification for anyone who tests as a paid service; you may test your own home with a kit from a DEP-certified laboratory. For a home sale, read the Pennsylvania real estate radon testing guide.
Local Geology & Risk Factors
New Hope is located in an area with Reading Prong / Delaware River Corridor Gneiss 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: $633,800 · Median year built: 1975
- Population: 2,623
- Foundation types: Fieldstone foundation (predominant in 18th- and 19th-century borough homes); Full basement (later construction across Solebury and Upper Makefield); Crawlspace (converted river-cottage additions)
Bucks County Context
New Hope is a municipality of Bucks County, EPA Zone 1. Zone designation is assigned at the county level, so New Hope inherits its classification; countywide aggregate figures live on the county page.
See Bucks County radon aggregate data →Measured Radon Data for New Hope
These figures cover every test whose ZIP code is listed above. ZIP codes do not follow municipal lines, so the figures describe New Hope-area ZIP codes, not the municipal boundary of New Hope. They count tests, not homes.
Source: PA Department of Environmental Protection, Radon Test Results, data.pa.gov. Tests through July 2026. Retrieved September 29, 2026.
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Radon Mitigation Cost in New Hope
Active sub-slab depressurization (ASD) systems in New Hope typically cost $1,050–$2,850. 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
- Fieldstone foundation (predominant in 18th- and 19th-century borough homes)
- Full basement (later construction across Solebury and Upper Makefield)
- Crawlspace (converted river-cottage additions)
Systems used in the region
- Active sub-slab depressurization
- Sub-membrane depressurization (fieldstone-foundation historic homes)
- Block wall depressurization
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 New Hope, Bucks 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
Why does New Hope have higher radon than the rest of Bucks County?
New Hope sits directly on Precambrian uranium-bearing gneiss of the Reading Prong where that formation is exposed at the surface along the Delaware River escarpment. The Reading Prong is the highest-radon geologic band in the eastern United States, and New Hope's borough and surrounding Solebury and Upper Makefield townships sit on some of the most uranium-enriched sections of it.
How do New Hope's 18th-century fieldstone-foundation homes get mitigated?
Historic fieldstone-foundation homes cannot be sealed the way a modern slab can. DEP-certified contractors typically install sub-membrane depressurization: a heavy polyethylene barrier laid over the cellar floor and up the wall-base transitions, with a suction point beneath the sheeting drawing to the exterior. Expect $1,800–$2,850, longer installation time, and a careful diagnostic plan to confirm pressure-field coverage.
Does New Hope's proximity to the Delaware River affect radon?
Not directly through the water — radon in surface water is not a significant indoor air pathway. But the Delaware River corridor is where Reading Prong gneiss is exposed at the surface, producing the region's highest radon output. River-terrace topography also concentrates cold air drainage, which increases wintertime stack effect and accelerates soil-gas entry into riverside basements and historic foundations.
What share of radon tests in New Hope-area ZIP codes are at or above the EPA action level?
36% of the 9,253 basement tests reported to PA DEP from New Hope-area ZIP codes measured 4.0 pCi/L or higher, in line with the 37% statewide share. The median result is 2.8 pCi/L. Of 2,049 first-floor tests, 21% measured 4.0 pCi/L or higher. The figures cover the ZIP codes listed on this page, not the municipal boundary, and they count tests, not homes.
Do homes in New Hope need to be tested for radon?
Bucks County is EPA Zone 1 — the highest radon-potential classification — so every home in New Hope 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 New Hope?
Active sub-slab depressurization (ASD) systems in the New Hope area typically cost $1,050–$2,850. 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 New Hope?
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 New Hope, 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 New Hope radon data cover?
The New Hope radon dataset on this page covers ZIP code 18938. These are the ZCTAs assigned to New Hope in the Census 2020 ZCTA-to-Place relationship file, and the page counts every test in the PA DEP record on data.pa.gov that carries one of them. A ZIP code can reach into a neighboring municipality, so the figures describe these ZIP codes rather than New Hope's municipal boundary.
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