Information
for real estate agents representing sellers, real estate agents representing buyers
and home
inspectors,
engineers, architects, lenders and attorneys. This page is
dedicated to promoting good health, managing legal
liability and the best interests of all the parties to real estate
transactions.
"Every
house needs a radon test" EPA
Radon
Facts
For
decades scientists have known radon causes lung cancer. Now
as British and American researchers evaluate several years of data, they
believe radon exposure may be linked to asthma, allergies,
leukemia and other
respiratory illnesses as well as stomach and liver cancer. Unlike the U.S., Great Britain's
radon program is operated and controlled by the government so all
the data is available from one source. Preliminary findings
seem to show a connection between radon levels and asthma and
other illnesses.
The
possibility of increased diagnoses of asthma caused by radon
exposure makes
annual radon testing or use of a radon monitor or radon detector
in every house even more imperative.
Realtors, attorneys, home inspectors and other advisors should recommend radon
testing and monitoring for every house. Realtors: A radon
monitor is an excellent "thank you" or "house
warming" gift. Home Inspectors: You can stock a
few radon monitors - also called radon detectors - and resell them
to your customers. You can mark up the price, provide a
valuable service and make a little extra profit at the same time.
GREATER
RISK THAN PREVIOUSLY KNOWN
The
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believes a
huge number of houses have dangerous levels simply because they've
never been tested. We now recommend every house be tested for
radon every year. To protect the health and limit the liability of
both buyers and sellers, every house
should have a radon test at the time of contract.
LIABILITY
FOR ILLNESS OR DEATH
In
a dispute a buyer or third party plaintiff may seek to claim radon
is an environmental hazard (it is) and seek an extended period of
liability afforded to environmental claims which extends far beyond the time of transfer and
far
beyond
the statute of limitations for other forms of liability. A
written report of a
radon test at the time of
contract, whether or not mitigation is required, can serve to
establish
that
the seller transferred the property in safe condition
and exercised "due diligence" and may be the only
documentation which could serve to limit future liability
exposure!
BUYER
AND SELLER CONCERNS
The
property buyer needs to be concerned about the potential health
concerns of indoor radon concentrations, the cost of radon
mitigation and the potential liability at the time of resale. The
seller needs to protect himself/herself
from legal liability by allowing the buyer to have a radon test
and if the buyer doesn't, then the seller must test in the sellers
own best interest. The seller has just this one opportunity to
perform "due diligence" and to acquire the only
documentation which could serve to limit his liability far into
the future. AFTER CLOSING AND FOR YEARS TO COME, THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER POSSIBLE WAY TO PROVE "DUE DILIGENCE" OR
PROVE RADON LEVELS WERE SAFE AT THE TIME OF TRANSFER.
Both
parties need and benefit from accurate radon testing.
REALTORS
SHOULD INFORM BUYERS AND SELLERS
The United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) partners with the National
Association of Realtors, the American Medical Association, the
American Cancer Society and others to urge real estate
professionals to inform buyers. There are no
houses
without some level of radon
and no safe areas and every
house needs a radon test and or a radon monitor or radon detector. All sellers need to know that if no test
is performed the
seller may be exposed to future liability and may have no effective defense against radon liability
claims, even claims that are without merit, far into the future.
click
here for common radon myths
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Real Estate Testing Overview
You
may choose to have a Certified Radon Technician perform a radon test
for you; have your real estate agent do it for you, do it yourself or
accept the results of a radon test previously done by or for the
seller. Either way, testing methods are the same.
The
EPA recommends that two short term radon home test kits be
operated side-by-side for real
estate transactions. EPA also recommends testing for radon in the home
in the lowest level which is currently suitable for occupancy, since a
buyer may choose to live in a lower area of the home than that used by
the seller.
The
radon real estate testing guidelines developed by the EPA have been
developed specifically to deal with the time-sensitive nature of home
purchases and sales, and the potential for radon device interference.
If
You Are Selling a Home...
EPA
recommends that you test for radon in the home before you put it on
the market and, if necessary, lower the levels of radon. 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 Buying a Home...
EPA
recommends that you know what the indoor levels of radon in any home
you consider buying. Ask the seller for their radon home test results.
If the home has a radon reduction system, ask the seller for the
information they have about the system.
If
the home has not yet been tested, you should request a test be
performed for radon in the home.
If
you are having a new home built, there are features that can be
incorporated during construction to reduce radon dangers.
We
offer a short-term radon test (charcoal), a long term radon test
(alpha track), a radon in water test and a continuous radon monitor
for your home.
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Radon
Real Estate: I'm Selling a Home. What Should I Do?
If
Your Home Has Already Been Tested for Radon...
If
you are thinking of selling your home and you have already tested for radon in
the home, review the Radon Testing Checklist (below) to make sure that the
test was done correctly. If so, provide your radon home test results to the
buyer. No matter what kind of test you took, a potential buyer may ask for a
new test especially if:
·
The Radon Testing
Checklist (below)
items were not met;
·
The last test is
not recent, e.g., within one year;
·
You have renovated
or altered your home since you tested; or
·
The buyer plans to
live in a lower level of the house than was tested, such as a basement
suitable for occupancy but not currently lived in.
A
buyer may also ask for a new test if your state or local government requires
disclosure of radon information to buyers.
If
Your Home Has Not Yet Been Tested for Radon...
Have
a test taken as soon as possible. If you can, test for radon in the home
before putting it on the market. You should test in the lowest level of the
home which is suitable for occupancy. This means testing in the lowest level
that you currently live in or a lower level not currently used, but which a
buyer could use for living space without renovations. The radon test result is
important information about your home's levels of radon. Some states require
radon measurement testers to follow a specific testing protocol. If you do the
test yourself, you should carefully follow the testing protocol for your area
or EPA's Radon Testing Checklist (below). If you hire a contractor to test
your residence, protect yourself by hiring a qualified individual or company.
Radon
Real Estate: I'm Buying a Home. What Should I Do?
If
the Home Has Already Been Tested for Radon...
If
you are thinking of buying a home, you may decide to accept an earlier radon
home test result from the seller, or ask the seller for a new test to be
conducted by a qualified radon tester. Before you accept the seller's test,
you should determine:
·
The results of
previous testing;
·
Who conducted the
previous radon home test: the homeowner, a radon professional, or some other
person;
·
Where in the home
the previous test was taken, especially if you may plan to spend time in a
lower level of the home. For example, the test may have been taken on the
first floor. However, if you want to use the basement as an exercise room or
play room or family room, test there; and
·
What, if any,
structural changes, alterations, or changes in the heating, ventilation, and
air conditioning (HVAC) system have been made to the house since the test was
done. Such changes may affect levels of radon.
If
you accept the seller's test, make sure that the test followed the Radon
Testing Checklist Below.
If
the Home Has Not Yet Been Tested for Radon...
Make
sure that a radon home test is done as soon as possible. Consider including
provisions in the contract specifying:
·
Where the test
will be located;
·
Who should conduct
the test;
·
What type of test
to do;
·
When to do the
test;
·
How the seller and
the buyer will share the test results and test costs (if necessary); and
·
When radon
mitigation measures will be taken and who will pay for them.
Make
sure that the test is done in the lowest level of the home suitable for
occupancy. This means the lowest level that you are going to use as living
space which is finished or does not require renovations prior to use.
If
you decide to finish or renovate an unfinished area of the home in the future,
a radon test should be taken before starting the project and after the project
is finished. Generally, it is less expensive to install a radon-reduction
system before (or during) renovations rather than afterwards.
Radon
Real Estate: New Construction
I'm Buying or Building a New Home. How Can I Protect My Family?
Why
Should I Buy a Radon-Resistant Home?
Radon-resistant
techniques work. When installed properly and completely, these simple and
inexpensive passive techniques can help to reduce radon levels. In addition,
installing them at the time of construction makes it easier to reduce levels
of radon further if the passive techniques don't reduce radon levels below 4
pCi/L. Radon-resistant techniques may also help to lower moisture levels and
those of other soil gases. Radon-resistant techniques:
·
Making
Upgrading Easy: Even
if built to be radon-resistant, every new home should be tested for radon in
the home after occupancy. If you have a test result of 4 pCi/L or more, a
radon vent fan can easily be added to the passive system to make it an active
system and further reduce levels of radon.
·
Are
Cost-Effective:
Building radon-resistant features into the house during construction is easier
and cheaper than fixing a radon problem from scratch later. Let your builder
know that radon-resistant features are easy to install using common building
materials.
·
Save Money:
When installed properly and completely, radon-resistant techniques can also
make your home more energy efficient and help you save on your energy costs.
In
a new home, the cost to install passive radon-resistant features during
construction is usually between $350 and $500. In some areas, the cost may be
as low as $100. A qualified mitigation specialist will charge about $300 to
add a radon vent fan to a passive system, making it an active system and
further reducing radon levels. In an existing home, it usually costs between
$1,200 and $2,500 to install a radon mitigation system.
What
Are Radon-Resistant Features?
Radon-resistant
techniques (features) may vary for different foundations and site
requirements. If you're having a house built, you can learn about EPA's Model
Standards (and architectural drawings) and explain the techniques to your
builder. If your new house was built (or will be built) to be radon-resistant,
it will include these basic elements:
·
Gas-Permeable
Layer: This layer is
placed beneath the slab or flooring system to allow the soil gas to move
freely underneath the house. In many cases, the material used is a 4-inch
layer of clean gravel. This gas-permeable layer is used only in homes with
basement and slab-on-grade foundations; it is not used in homes with
crawlspace foundations.
·
Plastic
Sheeting: Plastic
sheeting is placed on top of the gas-permeable layer and under the slab to
help prevent the soil gas from entering the home. In crawl spaces, the
sheeting (with seams sealed) is placed directly over the crawlspace floor.
·
Sealing and
Caulking: All
below-grade openings in the foundation and walls are sealed to reduce soil gas
entry into the home.
·
Vent Pipe:
A 3- or 4-inch PVC pipe (or other gas-tight pipe) runs from the gas-permeable
layer through the house to the roof, to safely vent radon and other soil gases
to the outside.
·
Junction Boxes:
An electrical junction box is included in the attic to make the wiring and
installation of a vent fan easier. For example, you decide to activate the
passive system because your test result showed an elevated radon level (4
pCi/L or more). A separate junction box is placed in the living space to power
the vent fan alarm. An alarm is installed along with the vent fan to indicate
when the vent fan is not operating properly.
Radon Real Estate:
Radon Testing Checklist
For
reliable test results, follow this Radon Testing Checklist carefully.
Testing for radon is not complicated. Improper testing may yield inaccurate
results and require another test. Disturbing or interfering with the test
device, or with closed-house conditions, may invalidate the test results and
is illegal in some states. If the seller or qualified tester cannot confirm
that all items have been completed, take another test.
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Closed-house
conditions means keeping all windows closed, keeping doors closed
except for normal entry and exit, and not operating fans or other
machines which bring in air from outside. Fans that are part of a
radon-reduction system or small exhaust fans operating for only short
periods of time may run during the test.
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Before
Conducting a Radon Home Test:
·
Notify the
occupants of the importance of proper testing conditions. Give the occupants
written instructions or a copy of this Guide and explain the directions
carefully.
·
Conduct the radon
test for a minimum of 48 hours; some test devices have a minimum exposure time
greater than 48 hours. Remember: You need to operate 2 test
kits side-by-side to assure accuracy.
·
When doing a
short-term test ranging from 2-4 days, it is important to maintain
closed-house conditions for at least 12 hours before the beginning of the test
and during the entire test period.
·
When doing a
short-term test ranging from 4-7 days, EPA recommends that closed-house
conditions be maintained.
·
If you conduct the
test yourself, use a qualified radon measurement device and follow the
laboratory's instructions.
·
If you hire
someone to do the test, hire only a qualified individual. National
certification organizations issue
photo identification (ID) cards; ask to see it. The tester's ID number, if
available, should be included or noted in the test report.
·
The test should
include methods to prevent or detect interference with testing conditions or
with the testing device itself.
·
If the house has
an active radon reduction system, make sure the vent fan is operating
properly. If the fan is not operating properly, have it (or ask to have it)
repaired and then test.
During
a Radon Home Test:
·
Maintain
closed-house conditions during he entire time of a short term test, especially
for tests shorter than one week in length.
·
Operate the home's
heating and cooling systems normally during the test. For tests lasting less
than one week, operate only air-conditioning units which re-circulate interior
air.
·
Do not disturb the
test device at any time during the test.
·
If a radon
reduction system is in place, make sure the system is working properly and
will be in operation during the entire radon test.
After
a Radon Home Test:
·
If you conduct the
test yourself, be sure to promptly return the test device to the laboratory.
Be sure to complete the required information, including start and stop times,
test location, etc.
·
If an elevated
level is found, fix the home. Contact a qualified radon-reduction contractor
about lowering the radon level. EPA recommends that you fix the home when the
radon level is 4 pCi/L or more.
·
Be sure that you
or the radon tester can demonstrate or provide information to ensure that the
testing conditions were not violated during the testing period.
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Realtors,
Attorneys, Home Inspectors, Radon Testers - Every house has some radon; how
much is in yours? Your own house needs a radon test or a digital radon
detector.
 EVERY
HOME HAS RADON how much is in your
own home?
.
PROTECT
YOUR FAMILY'S HEALTH
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