Moorhead sits on the Minnesota side of the Red River, home to Minnesota State University Moorhead and Concordia College, with neighborhoods ranging from early-1900s houses near the river to new subdivisions to the south and east. Clay County, like all of North Dakota across the river, is in EPA radon Zone 1. The big practical difference from Fargo is the law: Minnesota has its own rules for radon professionals and home sales.
Minnesota requires licensed radon pros
In Minnesota, radon mitigation professionals and companies must be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Systems installed in Minnesota also get an MDH system tag. When you get a quote for a Moorhead home, ask for the MDH license number and check it on MDH's list. A contractor who works only in North Dakota may hold national certification but not an MDH license, so they can't legally mitigate your Moorhead home.
Selling or buying: the Minnesota Radon Awareness Act
Since 2014, Minnesota's Radon Awareness Act has required home sellers to disclose, in writing, what they know about radon in the home: whether it has been tested, the results, and whether there's a mitigation system. Sellers must also give buyers MDH's radon information. The law doesn't require a test or a fix. In practice, many Moorhead buyers test during the inspection period, and if the result is high, the parties negotiate a system or a credit. See our home sale page for timelines.
Older homes near the river
Older Moorhead homes often have basements with block or stone walls, floor drains, and additions on different foundations. Those features give radon more ways in and can mean more sealing or extra suction points. River-area basements also tend to have sump pumps; a sealed sump lid is part of a standard system. If your basement has had flood or seepage problems, mention it, because standing water under the slab can affect the design.
Students and rentals
With two colleges, Moorhead has many rental houses and basement units. If you're a landlord, testing and fixing high radon protects tenants who may sleep in basement bedrooms. If you're a tenant, you can ask your landlord about testing; simple kits are inexpensive.
Get a quote
Send your ZIP code and test result. We'll pass your request to one MDH-licensed professional who covers Moorhead. For rules on both sides of the river, see radon rules in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Common questions
Can a Fargo radon company work in Moorhead?
Only if it holds a Minnesota Department of Health radon mitigation license. Many local companies are licensed on both sides of the river. Ask for the MDH license number.
Does a Moorhead seller have to test for radon?
No. The Minnesota Radon Awareness Act requires disclosure of what the seller knows and providing MDH radon information, not a test. Buyers often test during inspection.
What is the MDH system tag?
A label placed on a mitigation system installed in Minnesota, identifying it for MDH records. Ask your installer about it when the system is finished.