Radon Control in New Home Construction: Developments in State Policy

Washington

The state of Washington enacted legislation requiring the state building code council to adopt a building code that incorporates the international codes and that is applicable throughout the state. Rev. Code Wash. 19.27.031, 19.27. 074, available at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?Cite=19. While the state has had its own radon control standard for new construction in place for a number of years, in 2007 the building code council formally incorporated the 2006 International Residential Code, along with Appendix F, into the state residential code. Wash. Admin. Code 51-51-60101, available at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=51. The Washington code lists the seven Washington counties that are designated as Zone 1 counties (based on the EPA Map of Radon Zones) and must thus incorporate the radon control requirements of Appendix F into their local codes. The radon control requirements also apply in other counties to any structure constructed with an unvented crawlspace.

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