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Radon Mitigation and Testing in West Kelowna
In Take Action on Radon's long-term tests, about 4 in 10 West Kelowna homes were over Health Canada's radon guideline, about twice the rate in Kelowna across the lake. RadonCare tests and fixes radon in homes across West Kelowna, Westbank and Peachland. Questions about a test or a result? Call or text us.
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Our Radon Mitigation Work in West Kelowna
A Few of Our Installs on the West Side
Our crews work all over the west side of Okanagan Lake, from walkout basements in the hills above Westbank to crawlspace homes down by the water. More than once we've fixed two homes on the same street here, and one of those calls came on a neighbour's word.
Each system is designed for the house it goes in. Canada's national standard for radon mitigation (CAN/CGSB-149.12-2024, section 1) says a system that is properly designed and installed by certified professionals can lower radon by about 90% or more. How well a system works comes down to who designs and installs it. We've lowered the radon in every home and commercial building we've ever worked on. Every system we install comes with guaranteed results.
Tricky homes are the ones our technicians enjoy most. Even after more than 3,000 homes, we still run into something new now and then, and when we do, the whole team works on it together, so every job has the experience of all our crews across Alberta and BC behind it.
The West Side Homes We've Fixed
Walkout or Partly Underground
1 in 3
Crawlspace
1 in 4
Looking for before and after numbers? Our Kelowna page has results from homes just across the lake.
Walkout home, Shannon Lake area
2010s · walkout basement · gravel and sand under the slab
The builder's radon pipe was in a spot we couldn't use, so we made a new suction point and ran the whole system up through a finished closet.
Finished basement, West Kelowna
2000s · basement partly underground · sand under the slab
The fan sits in the space under the stairs, out of the way of the finished rooms.
Crawlspace home near the lake, West Kelowna
2000s · crawlspace with a concrete floor · sump pit
We sealed the sump airtight and used it as the suction point, with the fan right on the lid.
Duplex, West Kelowna
Duplex · crawlspace with a concrete floor · spray-foamed walls
With concrete under the crawlspace, we draw the radon from below it, the same way as under a basement floor.
Home details are approximate to protect each owner's privacy. Photos are from our installs on the west side.
Have a result over 200 Bq/m³, or not sure what yours means? Call or text us and we'll talk it through.
Radon Levels in West Kelowna and Peachland
What Local Tests Have Found
In Take Action on Radon's long-term tests, about 4 in 10 West Kelowna homes and close to half of Peachland homes were over Health Canada's radon guideline of 200 Bq/m³. That is about twice the rate found in Kelowna, across the lake, in the same program.
The west side runs high even for this region. Across the whole Central Okanagan, the 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon, led by Evict Radon at the University of Calgary, found nearly 3 in 10 homes at or above the guideline. The BC Centre for Disease Control's BC Radon Map agrees on the direction, with about 40% of homes in the City of West Kelowna estimated over 200.
The low end tells the same story. Only about 1 in 5 West Kelowna homes in Take Action on Radon's tests came in under 100 Bq/m³, the World Health Organization's reference level. In Kelowna, it was close to half. Every house is different, though, and no regional figure can tell you your own level. A long-term test can.
Homes Over the Guideline, Take Action on Radon Tests
West Kelowna
42%
Peachland
46%
Kelowna, Across the Lake
21%
West Kelowna: 42% of 483 homes; Peachland: 46% of 101 homes; Kelowna: 21% of 1,172 homes over 200 Bq/m³ (Take Action on Radon West Kelowna, Peachland and Kelowna community reports, 91-day tests, winters 2020 to 2023). Central Okanagan: 28.5% of 3,615 homes at or above 200 Bq/m³ (2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon).
What Your Radon Level Means
From Fresh Air to Canada's Guideline
Radon is measured in becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m³). Here is where a long-term result sits next to the levels that matter in Canada, drawn to scale up to 300.
radoncare.ca
5 to 30
85
100
121
148 US
200
300
How Homes Here Tested
Estimated share of homes in each range of radon levels (Bq/m³), from the BC Radon Map: a larger set of tests than the Take Action on Radon figures above
City of West Kelowna
29%
31%
34%
Under 100
100 to 200
200 to 600
Peachland
27%
30%
35%
8%
Under 100
100 to 200
200 to 600
600+
About 5 to 30Bq/m³
Fresh outdoor air. Radon from the ground gets diluted in open air, and the level changes from day to day and from region to region.
85Bq/m³
The average Canadian home.
100Bq/m³
The reference level the World Health Organization suggests for countries.
121Bq/m³
The average home tested in the Central Okanagan.
148Bq/m³
The level where the US Environmental Protection Agency says to fix a home. A US number, shown for reference: Canada uses Health Canada's guideline.
200Bq/m³ (5.4 pCi/L)
Health Canada's guideline. Above it, Health Canada recommends lowering your level within a year, and sooner the higher it is.
300Bq/m³
The upper limit the World Health Organization and European rules set for a country's reference level.
200 is not the goal. Health Canada says no level of radon is risk free, and 200 is not a recommended stopping point if your home can reasonably go lower.
Above 300: How High Radon Can Go
Not drawn to scale
800Bq/m³
Canada's guideline from 1988 to 2007, before it was lowered to 200.
5,073Bq/m³
The highest home tested in the Central Okanagan in the 2024 survey.
32,321Bq/m³
The highest Canadian home tested in the 2024 survey.
All levels are long-term averages, which is how Health Canada compares a home with its guideline. Sources: Health Canada (200) and its 2012 survey report (800 until 2007), the BC Centre for Disease Control (fresh air, which it puts at about 5 to 15; outdoor levels change from day to day and region to region, so we show a wider band), the World Health Organization and the US EPA (148, for reference), the BC Radon Map (how homes here tested, BC Radon Data Repository estimates), and EU Directive 2013/59/Euratom (100 and 300, for reference), and the 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon (85, 121, 5,073 and 32,321).
West Kelowna Radon Map
From the BC Radon Map
On the BC Radon Map, the whole west side sits well above downtown Kelowna, and the rural areas around the lake, Peachland's surroundings included, are higher still.
The BC Centre for Disease Control's BC Radon Map uses tests in the BC Radon Data Repository to estimate the share of homes over 200 Bq/m³, and it splits the region two ways, by health area (the map below) and by municipality, so the table gives both. On the province's boundaries, the West Kelowna health area covers the City and the Westbank First Nation lands inside it.
Across the lake, downtown Kelowna is estimated at about 1 in 20 homes. On the west side, even the lowest figure is about 1 in 3. These are estimates for whole areas, and the house next door can read very differently from yours, so the only number that counts is your own test.
- West Kelowna health area: 35% over 200 (1,141 tests)
- City of West Kelowna: 40% (853 tests)
- District of Peachland: 43% (169 tests)
- Rural areas around the lake: 50% (292 tests)
- City of Kelowna, for comparison: 19% (2,316 tests)
The health area figures are the ones on the map. The rural figure covers the rural land on both sides of the lake, Peachland's surroundings included.
Shaded by the estimated share of homes over 200 Bq/m³ in each of the province’s community health service areas; the dashed lines mark the City of West Kelowna and the District of Peachland. We drew it from the BC Radon Data Repository figures published on the BC Centre for Disease Control’s BC Radon Map (modelled estimates, read October 2026) and the Province of BC’s boundaries. By municipality, the same source puts the City of West Kelowna at 40% and the District of Peachland at 43% (the table above). It is our map, not BCCDC’s; the live map is on their site.
Radon Testing in West Kelowna
The Best Way to Test
Start with a long-term test: on the west side, where so many homes test high, it is the number you will want in hand. Our long-term test kit is the kind of test Health Canada recommends. It sits in your lowest lived-in level for at least three months, ideally over the winter, then goes back to the lab in the prepaid envelope. If the result is high, call us and we'll go through it with you.
Long-Term Radon Test Kit
Lab analysis and a prepaid return envelope included. Free shipping in Alberta and BC.
$54.99
Order a Test KitPrefer to watch your levels on a screen? We also sell digital monitors, like the Airthings Corentium Home. It passed C-NRPP's testing of home radon monitors. Its daily readings show how your level rises and falls from day to day, while the number to compare with Health Canada's guideline is its average over at least three months.
Free Ways to Test in West Kelowna
Borrow a detector from the library. The Okanagan Regional Library lends digital radon detectors free with a library card, thanks to the BC Lung Foundation, from October 1 to March 31. Every branch draws on one shared pool, so look at the waiting list before you count on one. Place a hold online and pick it up at the branch you choose:
- West Kelowna, 3731 Old Okanagan Highway
- Peachland, 5500 Clements Crescent
- Also close: Kelowna Downtown, Kelowna Mission and Summerland
- The BC Lung Foundation keeps a list of every BC library that lends a radon detector.
Free test kits. The Regional District of Central Okanagan hands out free long-term test kits each fall, one per home, with pickup points that have included West Kelowna City Hall, the Peachland Community Centre and the Westbank First Nation Community Services Building. Sign-up opens in late September or early October, and the kits go fast: this fall's were all claimed by early October.
Schools and Child Care on the West Side
Schools. Public schools in West Kelowna and Peachland are part of School District 23. Its elementary schools, along with the region's independent schools, were screened for radon in the winters of 2020 and 2021, and every school found over the guideline started work to bring it down (Take Action on Radon). Not sure about your child's school? Ask the school.
Child care. In the Interior Health region, licensed child care has had to test for radon since May 2017 (Interior Health).
Are Free Tests Good Enough?
A library detector or a free regional kit is a good first look. Be wary of a free test from a company that also sells radon systems: a test that runs only a few days, or a detector set in the wrong spot, can point to a problem a proper test would not find. More on what a short test can and cannot tell you.
Why Radon Runs High on the West Side
Radon forms as uranium in soil and rock breaks down, and the Southern Interior has plenty of it. Interior Health puts it this way: in many Interior communities, about 1 in 3 homes tested are over the guideline, while in Metro Vancouver it is about 1 in 113.
The west side of the lake has its own story on top of that. The BC Geological Survey describes uranium that is still building up today in swampy basins left behind by the last ice age along the west side of Okanagan Lake, and it records one in the Trepanier Creek valley, northwest of Peachland. These are points on a geology map, not a map of anyone's street, and two houses side by side can still test very differently.
Health Canada calls radon the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. More on radon and your health.
“The District of Peachland and the surrounding areas have been identified as an area prone to high levels of Radon.”
District of Peachland, building bulletin, March 2022
West Side Homes and What They Mean for Radon
Hillside Homes and Walkouts
Much of West Kelowna climbs the slopes above the lake, through Glenrosa, Rose Valley, Smith Creek and Lakeview Heights. The City's community plan gives building on slopes over 20% a closer look, and its design guidelines ask for homes cut into the hillside on stepped foundations. So many houses here have a walkout basement, or one that is only partly underground: about 1 in 3 of the west-side homes we've fixed. The open side of a walkout is above ground, but the back walls and the floor still sit against soil and rock. Test the lowest level you spend time in, walkout or not.
Rebuilt After the 2023 Fire
The McDougall Creek wildfire destroyed 191 homes in August 2023, in West Kelowna, Kelowna, on Westbank First Nation lands and along Westside Road (Global News). Where the builder applied to build a replacement home from March 8, 2024 on, the BC Building Code's province-wide radon rule applies, so the new house should have a radon pipe running to the outside. The code has never required a fan, though, so a rebuilt home still needs a test.
Newer Homes With a Radon Pipe
Every west-side home we've fixed that came with a builder's radon pipe has still needed a fan system, and in one of them the pipe sat in a spot that couldn't be used at all. A newer home still needs a test, and if your builder left a pipe, we test it before we rely on it.
Crawlspaces With Concrete Floors
About 1 in 4 of the west-side homes we've fixed have a crawlspace, and every one we've done has had a concrete or skim-coat floor, not bare dirt. That makes the job simpler than it sounds: we draw the radon from under the crawlspace floor the same way as under a basement, and where there is a sump, we seal it airtight and use it as the suction point.
Private Water Systems and Wells
Most of West Kelowna drinks City water from two treatment plants, but the City names some neighbourhoods that still rely on private systems: Bear Creek, Casa Loma, Raymer and Westside Road, Upper Glenrosa and Whitworth (City of West Kelowna). A 2024 national study led by the University of Calgary found that rural homes average higher radon than city homes, and tied much of the gap to drilled wells nearby. On a well? Don't assume your home is lower. Test it.
Cabins and Second Homes Along Westside Road
North of the City, along Westside Road, about 3 in 10 homes were not anyone's full-time home on census day in 2021 (Statistics Canada, Central Okanagan West). If your place there is only lived in part of the year, test it while you are living in it. Radon matters when people are in the house, and a home that is lived in, heated and opened and closed every day behaves differently from one that sits shut.
Older Homes in Peachland
About half of Peachland's homes were built before 1991, against about 4 in 10 in the City of West Kelowna (Statistics Canada 2021 census: Peachland, West Kelowna). Older homes have often been added onto, so one part may sit over a crawlspace and another on a slab or a basement. Once a test shows a home like this is high, we often suggest short spot tests in each part, to find where most of the radon is coming in.
Where the Radon Fan Is Installed
West Kelowna's building bylaw uses Kelowna's climate values for design, and the BC Building Code puts Kelowna at about 3,400 heating degree days, a measure of how cold the winters are (BC Building Code 2024, Appendix C, Table C-2). That is mild enough for Canada's radon mitigation standard (CAN/CGSB-149.12-2024, section 5.8.1.1) to allow a fan outdoors. We still install the fan in a heated space, usually a basement, a utility room or a heated garage, where it lasts longer, runs quieter and stays out of sight. We only put one outside when a home truly needs it.
What We Find Under West Side Floors
Under the floors we've opened on the west side, sand is the most common find, in about 3 in 4, often mixed with gravel. Clean gravel on its own is less common, and dirt is rare. Through gravel and sand, a standard fan usually reaches the whole floor. Wet sand, dirt or rock under the slab is where we most often need a stronger fan or more digging at the suction point. Why it matters: how a radon system works.
Radon and the Building Code in West Kelowna
What New Homes Need, and Since When
Every new home in BC where the builder applied to build from March 8, 2024 on needs a radon rough-in. Before that, the code's list of radon areas named Kelowna but not West Kelowna or Peachland, so whether an older west-side home got a radon pipe depended on where and when it was built.
Both local governments have stepped in on their own: Peachland's building bulletin says the District follows the same rule as Kelowna, and since July 2023 the City of West Kelowna inspects the radon rough-in before the slab is poured.
Radon Rough-In
City Inspection, Since
2023
All of BC, Since
2024
Fan Required
Never
Code Dates for West Kelowna and Peachland
- December 2012 to March 2024: the code lists the places that need a radon rough-in: Kelowna is on it, West Kelowna and Peachland are not. Listed places need a capped radon pipe under the floor from December 20, 2012, and a pipe run up to the outside from December 19, 2014 (BC bulletin B14-07; the 2018 edition kept the list, bulletin B18-04).
- March 7, 2022: Peachland's building bulletin says the District requires radon rough-ins, the same as Kelowna, and that additions, larger renovations and garages turned into living space have to meet the same rules.
- July 25, 2023: the City of West Kelowna adds a radon (soil gas) inspection to its building bylaw. Before the slab is poured, an inspector checks the radon pipe, the clean gravel or crushed stone under the slab and the plastic barrier.
- March 8, 2024: every new home in BC needs the rough-in, with a heavier pipe and room left for a fan. Still no fan required (bulletin B24-03-R).
What It Means for Your Home
The BC code dates go by when the builder applied to build, not when the home was finished, so a house finished in 2024 may still have been built to the older rules. In a West Kelowna home from before 2023, there may or may not be a radon pipe at all.
How to Spot a Radon Rough‑In
Look for a pipe at least 10 cm (4 in) across coming up through the basement or crawlspace floor, usually labelled as a radon pipe along its length. Peachland's bulletin quotes the code's wording. No pipe? A system can still go in. Test first either way.
A rough-in is a head start, not a fix. The code has never required a fan, and testing after you move in is up to you (B24-03-R). Homes on Westbank First Nation lands are approved and inspected by Westbank First Nation's own building office, not the City (WFN building application). Health Canada recommends testing again the heating season after you renovate, finish a basement or change your heating or ventilation. More on radon in the BC Building Code.
Radon in BC: The Bigger Picture
Some answers are the same anywhere in BC, so they live on one page: what your number means, how a system works, what changes the price, grants, and buying or selling a home. What your level means · Radon and your health · How mitigation works · What changes the price · Grants and help paying · BC code history · Buying or selling · More radon questions
West Kelowna Radon Questions
Is Radon a Problem in West Kelowna?
Yes, more than in most of Canada. In Take Action on Radon's long-term tests, 42% of West Kelowna homes and 46% of Peachland homes were over Health Canada's guideline of 200 Bq/m³, and the BC Radon Map estimates about 40% across the City. Your own home could be far above or far below that, so test it.
Which Parts of the West Side Have the Most Radon?
On the BC Radon Map's estimates, the rural areas around the lake are highest, at about half of homes over 200 Bq/m³. The District of Peachland is estimated at 43% and the City of West Kelowna at 40%. See the West Kelowna radon map. Every part of the west side has homes over the guideline, so test yours.
Does the City of West Kelowna Inspect Radon Rough‑Ins?
Yes. Since July 2023, the City's building bylaw has included a soil gas (radon) inspection before the slab is poured. It checks that the radon pipe, the clean gravel or crushed stone under the slab and the plastic barrier are in place, not your radon level, so a new home still needs a test.
I'm Adding On to My Peachland Home. Does the Addition Need a Radon Rough‑In?
Peachland's building bulletin says it does: additions, larger renovations and a garage turned into living space have to meet the soil gas and rough-in rules. The District's building office can tell you what your plans need. Once you move in, test the whole lowest level, old part and new.
My Home Was Rebuilt After the Fire. Do I Still Need to Test?
Yes. If the builder applied to build from March 8, 2024 on, it should have a radon pipe to the outside, but the code has never required a fan. Test it, and if the result is high, we test the pipe before we rely on it.
Can You Fix Radon in a Hillside Home With a Walkout?
Yes. Walkouts and partly underground basements are common in the west-side homes we fix, and so far each one has been done with a single suction point. What is under the floor matters more than the slope: gravel and sand are easy to draw from, while wet sand, dirt or rock can call for a stronger fan.
Do You Work in Westbank and Peachland?
Yes. We work across West Kelowna, including Westbank, Glenrosa, Rose Valley, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek, Lakeview Heights and Casa Loma, and south to Peachland. Across the lake, see our Kelowna page. If your area isn't on the map below, give us a call.
How Much Does Radon Mitigation Cost in West Kelowna?
A radon system costs less than installing air conditioning. The price depends on your home. On the west side, one of the things that can change the work is what is under the floor: wet sand, dirt or rock can call for a stronger fan. With a few details we can usually quote it on the same call. See what changes the price.
Why Doesn't RadonCare Offer Free Radon Tests?
Because we want the test done right. Health Canada recommends a test of at least three months in the lowest lived-in level of your home, and we only recommend a system when a test shows your home needs one. For a free first look, borrow a detector from your library, then follow up with a long-term test.
Is There a Grant for Radon Mitigation in West Kelowna?
At the time of writing (October 2026), there is no BC, regional or city grant. The Canadian Lung Association's Lungs Matter program can help if you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, or your household has a low to moderate income. Anything we missed? Let us know. See grants and help paying.
Areas We Serve Around West Kelowna
We work in West Kelowna (including Westbank, Glenrosa, Rose Valley, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek, Lakeview Heights and Casa Loma) and Peachland.
Nearby Areas We Serve
Outside This Map? We Work Across the BC Interior and Alberta.
Our crews also work in Salmon Arm, Kamloops and Revelstoke, and across Alberta. Not sure about your town? Call or text 236‑300‑7223.
Radon in the Local News
Castanet, October 2, 2026Free radon test kits available for Central Okanagan residents
The Tyee, January 9, 2026Homeowners Left on Their Own to Deal with Deadly GasThe Tyee interviewed one of RadonCare’s founders for this story on radon in BC.
Kelowna Daily Courier, April 15, 2023Cancer doctor offers cautionary taleA Kelowna cancer doctor on the high radon he found in his own West Kelowna home.
BC Lung Foundation, July 22, 2021New community testing shows Central Okanagan is a radon hotspotThe first results from the region's free test kits, with West Kelowna and Peachland among the higher areas.
Get a Free Quote or Ask a Question
Fill out the form and a radon expert will get in touch to answer your questions. Prefer to talk? Call or text 236‑300‑7223.
About RadonCare
We've lowered the radon in every building we've ever worked on: more than 3,000 homes across Alberta and British Columbia, plus schools, apartment buildings and government buildings. We started out in heating and ventilation, so our team of C-NRPP certified professionals designs every system from how air actually moves through your house, and we aim for the lowest level your home can reasonably reach, not just under the guideline. From your first test to a system built for your home, the results are guaranteed. RadonCare is a five-time Consumer Choice Award winner, and we're involved in Canada's radon industry, with seats on the CARST board of directors and the C-NRPP advisory board.
Updated October 2026