Radon Inspection?

What is Radon?

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. But it still may be a problem in your home. Radon is produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Radon is a form of radiation and proven to cause lung cancer.

Radon in air is actually all around us. Every breath you take whether indoor or outdoor has some amount of radon . The EPA recommends homes with more than 4 picocuries per liter (just remember the number 4, your inspector can explain picocuries) be equipped with a radon pump. The average radon concentration in the indoor air of America’s homes is about 1.3 pcl/ltr.  Even at this level, the EPA projects over 20,000 deaths from lung cancer caused by Radon. The level of radon is totally dependent on where you live.

You Should Test for Radon

Testing is the only way to find out your home’s radon levels. Both the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.

You Can Fix a Radon Problem

If you find that you have high radon levels, there are ways to lower the levels. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels by installing a radon pump.

If you are a seller many realtors recommend  that you test your home before putting it on the market and, if necessary, lower your radon levels prior to accepting a contract.  Like a Home Warranty this is an excellent tool to put the buyer at ease.  Save the test results and all information you have about steps that were taken to fix any problems. This could be a positive selling point. If you are a buyer the EPA recommends that you know what the indoor radon level is in any home you consider buying. Ask the seller for their radon test results taken on the lowest level of the home. If the home has a radon-reduction system, ask the seller for any information they have about the system. Your inspector can determine if the unit is working properly.