There are a lot of important items to monitor when shopping for a home.
Water damage on a ceiling or mold in a basement are typically apparent to folks that are observant. But the most dangerous problems are the silent ones lurking just under the flooring top that require home inspections. Radon gas can leach into your home and cause long-term health problems if unaddressed.
Depending on where you live in America, you may have to consider radon testing during the inspection process before purchasing a new residence.
Since radon is an issue that only plagues certain parts of the country, not all people know about it. That is why the team at Prevu Real Estate put together a guide detailing what radon is and how you can protect yourself from it.
What is radon?
Radon gas is a byproduct of uranium in rocks and soil breaking down and decaying.
This gas travels through the air into your home through cracks and small holes in the foundation. Unlike the rotten egg smell that wafts from a broken gas line, there is no scent to notice when radon starts creeping into your home as it is odorless.
Even worse, the gas has no color, which means it can collect in your basement and crawl spaces under your home. Over time, your home traps and accumulates the gas, which eventually builds up in high levels within your body.
Unfortunately, radon is a cancer-causing chemical that causes thousands of deaths a year. According to the EPA, radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer related deaths following cigarette smoking.
But while you can see and smell cigarette smoke, radon will gather in a home unbeknownst to the homeowner.
How does radon get into your home?
As uranium in soil and large rocks decomposes, it travels up through the ground and looks for easy ways to reach the air through your home.
So no matter if your home is modern or older, radon may accumulate and begin to spread if you do not have protection against it. Depending on the home's design, certain areas in basements can trap the gas, and it can even travel up through the hole dug out for a sump pump.
Even if the house doesn't have a basement or has good airflow, there are ways radon can collect in the walls. While many think that radon only affects people who live above bedrock deposits, this is not always the case.
Radon levels are measured in picocuries per liter of air, otherwise known as pCi/L, and it is easy enough to get an at-home test to ensure your home is safe.
You will want to bring in a professional if you want to buy or sell a home.
Places in America that most commonly have radon
Many people think that radon is only a problem if you live in mountainous areas. But the reality is that there is a national radon danger zone in the northeast, midwest, and southwestern portions of the country.
Uranium concentrates in bedrock and granite strewn throughout the northeast, but it can also leech through the soil. For instance, places like Ohio and Wyoming have high radon concentrations, but southern states like Florida and Louisiana have fewer amounts.
But as more Americans learn about radon and its dangers, homebuyers are increasingly asking how many pCi/L of the gas is in any home they check out.
Why do home buyers test for radon?
From protecting the members of your household to safeguarding your home, there are many reasons you would want to test for radon.
Radon is a known danger in parts of the northeast but is still a new subject for many homeowners around the nation. But the reality is that most folks do not get a radon test until they go to sell their home and a buyer asks about the levels in the house.
This surprise question can ruin your plans to sell a property, as the inspection can take some time to reach conclusive results. Plus, if there are high gas traces in your home, it may drive away buyers even if you are willing to spend on remediating the problem.
Is radon testing required for real estate transactions?
Every state has different rules and regulations about radon, but the best thing you can do for yourself is to get a check done.
If you plan to sell your home, you should get a radon check before listing the property. This way, you can have a report prepared and ready for any interested buyers, showing them you are dedicated to the sale and a quick transaction.
Your listing agent can help connect you with an inspector that can measure the pCi/L in your home. But you will want to do this sooner than later, as getting a full test can take a while. As a homebuyer, you can and should request a copy of any radon tests done in the home.
If no data is available, you can request an examination of the levels during the home inspections.
How do home inspectors test for radon?
There are several ways to look for radon in your home.
You can do it yourself in a few minutes with an at-home radon test kit that you can get at a hardware store or off the web. You can also check with your state radon office to get a list of qualified testers for a detailed assessment.
Types of radon testing
- Short-term tests
- Long-term tests
- Regular monitoring
Short-term tests
A short-term test can take two to three days to measure the radon in the home. Once the test finishes, you send the results off to a lab, which will tell you the results in a few weeks.
If your test says there are four pCi/L of radon, you have to take a second, longer test. You should place the charcoal-based test in the lowest lived-in area of the home that is not a kitchen or bathroom, about 20 inches off the ground, to avoid air currents and heat.
Long-term tests
A long-term test can take up to 90 days and follows the same standards as a shorter test. A long-term test aims to measure daily fluctuations in radon in the home. These tests help homeowners discern if they need a radon mitigation tool in the house.
Regular monitoring
The best way to regularly check in on radon levels is to have a radon mitigation system placed in the home. These tools can remove more than 90% of the gas in the house and conducts radon measurement on the gas gathering under your slab foundation or crawl space if you do not have a basement.
What are the measurement ranges for radon levels?
The EPA notes that most homes have 1.3 pCi/L of radon, unlike the outdoors, where there is about 0.4 pCi/L in the air.
Radon levels to watch
- 0 - .09 pCi/L is a naturally occurring level in the air
- 1 pCi/L is an average level of radon in the home
- 2 pCi/L warrants taking a second short term or a longer term test
- 3 - 4 pCi/L is a dangerous level of radon in the home
- 5+ pCi/L of continuous radon exposure can cause lung cancer
If your tests conclude that there is a concentration of 4 pCi/L or more in your home, then the EPA suggests you take action to remediate the issue. Lowering this measurement to around 1-2 pCi/L is much safer for your health.
Luckily, the EPA recommends a few ways to reduce this harmful gas in your home.
How can radon levels be reduced in a house?
The easiest way to remove radon is with a mitigation system.
These systems work like a vacuum, using a PVC pipe drilled and sealed into your foundation to suck up gas accumulating under the house. The suction system then sends the contaminated air out of your home into the atmosphere through another set of pipes, where it dilutes and dissipates.
What is the cost of a radon mitigation system?
The cost of a radon mitigation system can range from $1,000 to $4,000, or more depending on the size of the home and the number of foundations. But the system is just for removing the gas.
You can also be proactive to reduce the amount of radon getting into your home by caring for your foundation. If a real estate transaction discovers a radon issue, the buyer and seller can factor the price of the mitigation system into their closing costs.
There will be times when you find the perfect home, but it has some problems to address. While radon is dangerous, it does not have to be a deal breaker. If you see fissures and gaps in the slab in a home you want to purchase, just make sure to fix them as soon as possible. This way, if there is a freeze, water will not expand the crack.
