Radon Mitigation in Franklin Township, PA
Updated
PA DEP has 5,858 home radon tests on record from the ZIP code that cover Franklin Township (17019). 47.4% came back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level, against 52.5% for York County as a whole. Lower than York County overall, yet still more than four tests in ten. A standard system here typically costs $800 to $1,500. The only way to know about one house is to test it.
Franklin Township is a township in York County with about 5,087 residents and 2,347 homes, median year built 1988. Franklintown borough sits inside the township. Clear Spring Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places. 47.4% of PA DEP radon tests in its ZIP codes came back at or above the action level, below the county's 52.5%.
What the PA DEP test records show for Franklin Township
ZIP 17019 covers essentially all of Franklin Township, so these numbers are about as local as public radon data gets.
| ZIP | Tests | Median pCi/L | 4+ pCi/L | 10+ | 20+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17019 | 5,858 | 3.6 | 47.4% | 20.1% | 6.9% |
| York County | 98,845 | 4.3 | 52.5% | 26.8% | 13.1% |
Look past the median to the high end. One test in 14 here came in at 20 pCi/L or more, five times the action level, and the highest reading on record is 228 pCi/L. Neighboring houses can differ by a factor of ten, so none of this tells you what your house is. It tells you the odds are high enough that a $15 to $30 test kit is worth buying.
Tests people chose to run, not a random survey. Details on the York County radon levels page.
Basement readings versus first-floor readings
In ZIP 17019, basement tests have a median of 4 pCi/L, while tests taken on the first floor have a median of 1.8 pCi/L (614 first-floor tests). The basement number runs 2.2 times the first-floor number, which is the usual pattern: radon comes up from the soil, so it is strongest at the lowest level and gets diluted as it moves up through the house.
Radon results by decade in ZIP 17019
| Decade tested | Tests | Median pCi/L | 4+ pCi/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 674 | 4 | 50.4% |
| 2000s | 1,285 | 4.4 | 54.1% |
| 2010s | 2,631 | 3.5 | 46.4% |
| 2020s | 1,234 | 3 | 41% |
The share peaked in the 2000s at 54.1% and sits at 41% for tests since 2020. A drop that size is mostly about who is testing, not the ground. More recent tests come from home sales and from retests after a system went in, and both pull the share down. The rock under Franklin Township has not changed. 1,234 tests have been logged in 17019 since 2020, so people here are still testing.
Housing in Franklin Township and what it means for a system
Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024:
| Franklin Township | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes (housing units) | 2,347 | 189,857 |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1976 |
| Built before 1940 | 3.2% | 18.3% |
| Built before 1980 | 32.4% | 54.8% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16.7% | 20.6% |
| Single-family detached | 55.7% | 64.3% |
| Attached (rowhome, townhouse) | 13.2% | 17.1% |
| Mobile homes | 13.2% | 4.1% |
| Owner-occupied | 82.4% | 76.3% |
13.2% of homes in Franklin Township are mobile or manufactured homes, well above the county's 4.1%. Those sit over a crawlspace or skirted pad rather than a basement, and the fix is different: a sealed membrane over the soil with suction under it. See crawlspace radon for what that involves.
Cost-wise, a basement house here is the standard $800 to $1,500 job, while a mobile home or crawlspace house usually runs $1,500 to $3,000 because of the membrane work. Full ranges on the cost page.
Where we work in Franklin Township
Clear Spring Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Installers must hold a PA DEP radon mitigation certification (how to check), and permit questions go to the township office at franklintownship.org.
Common questions
Is radon a problem in Franklin Township?
Yes. PA DEP has 5,858 tests on record from the ZIP code covering Franklin Township, and 47.4% of them came back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level. 6.9% were at 20 pCi/L or more. The county-wide rate is 52.5%.
What is the average radon level in ZIP 17019?
The median of 5,858 PA DEP tests in ZIP 17019 is 3.6 pCi/L and the mean is 7.2 pCi/L. The top reading on record there is 228 pCi/L.
Nearby
Carroll Township 47.4%, Dillsburg 47.4%, Franklintown 47.4%, Monaghan Township 46.6%, Warrington Township 46%. Share of PA DEP tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L, against 47.4% here.
Have a test result from Franklin Township?
Send us the number and the foundation type, or call and read it out.
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