Radon Mitigation in Hallam, PA
Updated
PA DEP has 4,025 home radon tests on record from the ZIP code that cover Hallam (17406). 52.6% came back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level, against 52.5% for York County as a whole. That is close to the county-wide rate, which is itself about one test in two. A standard system here typically costs $800 to $1,500. The only way to know about one house is to test it.
Hallam is a borough in York County with about 2,788 residents and 1,068 homes, median year built 1992. It is surrounded by Hellam Township. Hallam is home to the Haines Shoe House. 52.6% of PA DEP radon tests in its ZIP codes came back at or above the action level, above the county's 52.5%.
What the PA DEP test records show for Hallam
ZIP 17406 covers essentially all of Hallam, so these numbers are about as local as public radon data gets.
| ZIP | Tests | Median pCi/L | 4+ pCi/L | 10+ | 20+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17406 | 4,025 | 4.3 | 52.6% | 27.4% | 14.3% |
| York County | 98,845 | 4.3 | 52.5% | 26.8% | 13.1% |
Look past the median to the high end. One test in 7 here came in at 20 pCi/L or more, five times the action level, and the highest reading on record is 410 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 17406, basement tests have a median of 5.3 pCi/L, while tests taken on the first floor have a median of 1.7 pCi/L (610 first-floor tests). The basement number runs 3.1 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.
This matters for what you test. The PA DEP and EPA guidance is to test the lowest level you use or could use as living space. If the basement is finished, or might be someday, test it there. A finished rec room at 5.3 pCi/L is a different decision from an unfinished storage basement you rarely stand in.
Radon results by decade in ZIP 17406
| Decade tested | Tests | Median pCi/L | 4+ pCi/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 123 | 5.9 | 61% |
| 2000s | 552 | 7.2 | 64.9% |
| 2010s | 2,347 | 4.3 | 52.5% |
| 2020s | 993 | 3.2 | 45.1% |
The share peaked in the 2000s at 64.9% and sits at 45.1% 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 Hallam has not changed. 993 tests have been logged in 17406 since 2020, so people here are still testing.
Housing in Hallam and what it means for a system
Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024:
| Hallam | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes (housing units) | 1,068 | 189,857 |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1976 |
| Built before 1940 | 23.2% | 18.3% |
| Built before 1980 | 39.3% | 54.8% |
| Built 2000 or later | 37% | 20.6% |
| Single-family detached | 27.9% | 64.3% |
| Attached (rowhome, townhouse) | 40.9% | 17.1% |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% | 4.1% |
| Owner-occupied | 48.8% | 76.3% |
About 40.9% of homes here are attached: rowhomes, twins and townhouses. A shared wall does not stop radon, and neither does a neighbor's system, so each unit needs its own test. The tricky part is pipe routing, since there is often no side yard to run the vent up. Our rowhome radon guide covers how installers handle it.
37% of the homes here were built in 2000 or later, one of the higher shares in the county. New construction is not radon-proof. A tight modern house can hold radon in as well as it holds heat in. Some builders rough in a passive vent pipe during construction, which makes a later active system cheaper, so check for a capped pipe in the basement. More on that in radon in new construction.
Only about 48.8% of homes in Hallam are owner-occupied, so a lot of people here rent. Pennsylvania does not require landlords to test, but a tenant can ask, and a landlord can test between tenancies without much hassle. Our landlord testing guide covers the details.
Cost-wise, an attached home in Hallam is usually still a single suction point, so $800 to $1,500 is the normal range, but a long interior pipe run to get above the roof line can push it higher. Full ranges on the cost page.
Where we work in Hallam
Public schools here are part of Eastern York School District. Hallam is home to the Haines Shoe House.
Installers must hold a PA DEP radon mitigation certification (how to check), and permit questions go to the borough office at www.hallamborough.com.
Common questions
Is radon a problem in Hallam?
Yes. PA DEP has 4,025 tests on record from the ZIP code covering Hallam, and 52.6% of them came back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level. 14.3% were at 20 pCi/L or more. The county-wide rate is 52.5%.
What is the average radon level in ZIP 17406?
The median of 4,025 PA DEP tests in ZIP 17406 is 4.3 pCi/L and the mean is 11.4 pCi/L. A mean that far above the median means a long tail of very high readings, topping out at 410 pCi/L.
Nearby
Yorkana 52.6%, Hellam Township 53.7%, Springettsbury Township 54.1%, Manchester Township 51.3%, Lower Windsor Township 55.5%. Share of PA DEP tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L, against 52.6% here.
Have a test result from Hallam?
Send us the number and the foundation type, or call and read it out.
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