Radon TestingThe Environmental Protection Agency defines and describes radon as “a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.” According to the EPA, radon is responsible for over twenty thousand lung cancer deaths and remains a leading cause of the disease across the country. Individuals who smoke and live in homes that have elevated radon levels are at a greater risk of developing lung cancer. These statistics reveal how radon is something every homeowner should be concerned about.
It’s important to indicate that radon is a gas you cannot smell, taste, or see. In other words, the gas is odorless, tasteless, and invisible. The gas, however, accumulates and gets trapped in homes and buildings, thereby exposing people living there to what’s believed to be the second-top cause of lung cancer in the country. The only way homeowners can find out whether or not their homes have elevated radon levels is through testing. Once you’ve tested your home for radon levels, you can live with peace of mind or make every effort to lower the gas depending on the test results. Radon Gas can be Found Everywhere The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the radioactive gas can be found in homes across the United States. The body adds that any home, new or old; with or without basements, can have a radon problem. Radon often enters homes by moving up from the ground to your home’s foundation through existing cracks and other holes. It may also enter through well water before it gets trapped indoors. This concept, therefore, means that you and your loved ones are more likely to be exposed to radon from your home since this is the place you spend most of your time. The EPA and the Surgeon General indicate that testing for radon levels is the only way homeowners can tell if they are at risk from the radioactive gas. Understand that it’s not possible to predict your home’s radon levels based on radon measurements of your state or locality. You’ll be surprised to find out that your home has a different radon level when compared to the immediate homes in your neighborhood. It’s time you found out the radon levels in your building or home by testing. |
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Have your Home Tested When Buying or Selling a House
No matter what radon zone your home is located in, it’s important that you have it tested for elevated radon levels before listing it for sale. In most states, individuals selling their homes may be required to disclose the test results on the disclosure form they fill out with their respective realtor. Potential buyers might still want to conduct an additional test for radon levels during home inspection even when your initial test result is less than 4.0 pCi/L. They just want to be sure you got it right, and everything is fine. That shouldn’t bother you much. You’d also want to do the same considering the health risk radon gas poses to human life.
If the person listing his or her home for sale finds test results of 4.0 pCi/L or higher, the radon problem will have to be addressed by either installing a radon mitigation system before the house is placed on the market. This will help reduce the radon level to the recommended or rather acceptable level of 4.0 pCi/L.
In most cases, radon testing during home buying and selling involves the potential buyer requesting for a test as part of the overall inspection of the residential property. The potential buyer can always discuss with the seller and negotiate to have a radon mitigation system installed in case the test results are 4.0 pCi/L or greater.
What Should I do if I am yet to Test my Home for Radon?
The fact that you’re not listing your home for sale doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it tested for radon. In fact, you should have it tested as soon as possible. The test result will provide you with useful information on your home’s radon concentration levels. The EPA has a Testing Checklist that homeowners can follow specifically if they are doing the test themselves. It’s a good idea to hire a qualified professional or company to help test your residence for elevated radon levels.
It’s recommended to conduct the radon test in the lowest level of your residence that you’re likely to use as living space on a regular basis. Hiring a qualified radon tester will help you avoid mistakes and get the test right for proper decision making.
Length of Time to Test
As mentioned, radon testing is all you need as a homeowner to determine whether or not your home has a radon problem. Homeowners can use radon test kits to detect radon in their residences. Remember radon is an invisible and odorless gas and there’s no other way to detect it without using special equipment. Apart from ordering radon test kits and doing it yourself, you may consider hiring a qualified radon tester to help with the job.
In most cases, it will be a home inspector or radon testing organization who will get the appropriate radon testing device for your home. A qualified radon tester understands the different test devices to be used, knows proper conditions for testing, and understands the guidelines on how to obtain a reliable radon test result. The best way to get an independent test result is to hire a qualified professional.
Homeowners can determine their year-round average radon level by conducting a long-term radon test. However, for those who may want results quickly and know if they have a radon problem, conducting a short-term radon test might be more useful. Short-term radon testing involves conducting tests that remain in a building for a period ranging from two to ninety days while long-term testing involves conducting radon tests that remain in a building for more than ninety days.
It’s important to note that you won’t see any immediate signs alerting you to the presence of radon gas or exposure in your building. Your home might feel safe, and everything will look fine. However, problems will begin to surface after years of radon exposure. It’s time you acknowledged that radon could be in your home and have it tested. According to the EPA, more than 8 million homes across the United States have high levels of the radioactive gas.
If the person listing his or her home for sale finds test results of 4.0 pCi/L or higher, the radon problem will have to be addressed by either installing a radon mitigation system before the house is placed on the market. This will help reduce the radon level to the recommended or rather acceptable level of 4.0 pCi/L.
In most cases, radon testing during home buying and selling involves the potential buyer requesting for a test as part of the overall inspection of the residential property. The potential buyer can always discuss with the seller and negotiate to have a radon mitigation system installed in case the test results are 4.0 pCi/L or greater.
What Should I do if I am yet to Test my Home for Radon?
The fact that you’re not listing your home for sale doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it tested for radon. In fact, you should have it tested as soon as possible. The test result will provide you with useful information on your home’s radon concentration levels. The EPA has a Testing Checklist that homeowners can follow specifically if they are doing the test themselves. It’s a good idea to hire a qualified professional or company to help test your residence for elevated radon levels.
It’s recommended to conduct the radon test in the lowest level of your residence that you’re likely to use as living space on a regular basis. Hiring a qualified radon tester will help you avoid mistakes and get the test right for proper decision making.
Length of Time to Test
As mentioned, radon testing is all you need as a homeowner to determine whether or not your home has a radon problem. Homeowners can use radon test kits to detect radon in their residences. Remember radon is an invisible and odorless gas and there’s no other way to detect it without using special equipment. Apart from ordering radon test kits and doing it yourself, you may consider hiring a qualified radon tester to help with the job.
In most cases, it will be a home inspector or radon testing organization who will get the appropriate radon testing device for your home. A qualified radon tester understands the different test devices to be used, knows proper conditions for testing, and understands the guidelines on how to obtain a reliable radon test result. The best way to get an independent test result is to hire a qualified professional.
Homeowners can determine their year-round average radon level by conducting a long-term radon test. However, for those who may want results quickly and know if they have a radon problem, conducting a short-term radon test might be more useful. Short-term radon testing involves conducting tests that remain in a building for a period ranging from two to ninety days while long-term testing involves conducting radon tests that remain in a building for more than ninety days.
It’s important to note that you won’t see any immediate signs alerting you to the presence of radon gas or exposure in your building. Your home might feel safe, and everything will look fine. However, problems will begin to surface after years of radon exposure. It’s time you acknowledged that radon could be in your home and have it tested. According to the EPA, more than 8 million homes across the United States have high levels of the radioactive gas.
