Norfolk & Haldimand
Radon testing and mitigation in Simcoe & Norfolk County, Ontario
Norfolk County is one of the most rural parts of our service area: Simcoe, Delhi, Waterford and Port Rowan surrounded by farms that once grew most of Canada’s tobacco. Here’s what’s known about radon in Simcoe, and how to find out about your home.
- Region
- Norfolk & Haldimand
- Population
- about 67,000 (Norfolk County)
- Public health
- Grand Erie Public Health
- Local factors
- 4 reasons to test
Is radon a problem in Simcoe?
Radon can exceed Health Canada’s 200 Bq/m³ guideline in any Simcoe home. No published local data rules any neighbourhood in or out. Across Ontario, about 1 in 8 homes tested at or above the guideline in the 2024 national survey. Locally, sandy or gravelly soils, rural drilled wells and century-home foundations are reasons to test. A 91-day test is the only way to know your home’s level.
Radon in Simcoe
Norfolk County is one of the most rural parts of our service area: Simcoe, Delhi, Waterford and Port Rowan surrounded by farms that once grew most of Canada’s tobacco. That farming history comes from the soil, and the soil matters for radon.
The ground under Simcoe
Norfolk sits on the Norfolk Sand Plain, a broad deposit of sand and silt laid down by glacial lakes. It is among the most permeable ground in Ontario. That doesn’t make radon by itself, but it lets soil gas move easily and over long distances, so it can collect around foundations.
Simcoe’s homes
Many homes are on private wells, many farmhouses are well over 100 years old, and many have stone foundations or partial earth-floor cellars. Simcoe and Delhi also have post-war neighbourhoods and a growing number of new subdivisions. We see big differences between neighbouring properties here, which is why we never quote a “typical” result.
What the data says
Ontario homes at or above Health Canada’s 200 Bq/m³ guideline in the 2024 Cross-Canada Survey, more than double the share found a decade earlier.Source: Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Exposure in the Residential Buildings of Urban and Rural Communities (2024)
Higher average radon exposure for rural residents than urban residents in a 2024 national study of 42,051 homes, mostly linked to drilled wells.Source: Goodarzi et al., Scientific Reports (2024) — rural communities and drilled-well annuli
Roughly how many homes per health region the first national survey (2009–2011) could test. Too few to clear any neighbourhood, which is why public maps can’t tell you about your house.Source: Health Canada — Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes, Final Report (2012)
Local results
Building a real radon picture for Simcoe
Public radon data for Southern Ontario towns is thin. The national surveys tested only a handful of homes per area. So we’re building our own: anonymized long-term results from homes we test, published by area once there are at least 30, so no single home can be identified and small samples can’t mislead.
Simcoe: collecting results. Already tested? Check your number and share it anonymously when you book.
Local factors
What can push radon up in Simcoe
Not a prediction for any single home, just the reasons a test is worth it here.
Sandy or gravelly soils
Sand and gravel let soil gas move freely and over longer distances. More of the radon formed in the ground can reach the air around your foundation instead of decaying in place.
Rural homes on drilled wells
A 2024 national study of over 42,000 homes found rural residents were exposed to about 30% more radon than urban residents, with most of the gap linked to drilled wells. Researchers suspect gas travels up the gap around the well casing.
Century homes
Fieldstone, rubble and early concrete foundations, earth-floor cellars and open sumps give radon many ways in. Older doesn’t mean safer: these homes still need a test.
Glacial soils with Shield debris
The till and gravel left by glaciers here includes ground-up rock carried south from the Canadian Shield. Uranium travels with it, so radon can form close to your footings even where the bedrock itself is low in uranium.
Where we work
Simcoe neighbourhoods and nearby communities
- Simcoe
- Delhi
- Waterford
- Port Rowan
- Vittoria
- Courtland
- Langton
- Turkey Point
Nearby: Radon in Port Dover · Radon in Tillsonburg · Radon in Brantford
How it works
From test to fix
- Book
Tell us about your Simcoe home. We reply within one business day.
- Test for 91+ days
A certified technician places long-term detectors on your lowest lived-in floor. You get an early reading at 2 weeks.
- Get your result
Lab-verified average, explained against Health Canada’s guideline.
- Fix it if it’s high
A sub-slab system designed for your foundation, at a fixed price, with results guaranteed.
Questions
Radon in Simcoe: FAQ
Is radon a problem in Simcoe?
Radon can exceed Health Canada’s 200 Bq/m³ guideline in any Simcoe home. No published local data rules any neighbourhood in or out. Across Ontario, about 1 in 8 homes tested at or above the guideline in the 2024 national survey. Locally, sandy or gravelly soils, rural drilled wells and century-home foundations are reasons to test. A 91-day test is the only way to know your home’s level.
Why does sandy soil matter for radon in Norfolk?
Radon only lives a few days, so how fast it can travel through the ground matters. In sandy soils it moves freely and more of it can reach your basement before it decays. In tight clay, more of it decays in place.
Do you test old farmhouses with earth-floor cellars?
Yes, and they’re among the homes most worth testing. If levels are high, an earth floor can be covered with a sealed membrane or new slab, then depressurized like any other foundation.
Do you offer radon testing and mitigation in Simcoe?
Yes. We test and mitigate homes throughout Simcoe & Norfolk County, including Simcoe, Delhi, Waterford, Port Rowan, Vittoria and nearby. Call (226) 271-4667 or book online.
Radon is fixable. First, know your number.
Serving Simcoe, Port Dover, Tillsonburg and Brantford.