Radon testing and radon facts
Home buyers and sellers are frequently being met with the issue of Radon.Elevated awareness, and state requirements bring Radon issues to the forefrontin transactions involving real estate. An increased number of states nowrequire disclosure of Radon levels to home buyers by the home seller. Belowyou'll find information compiled from the EPA's "Home Buyers and Seller'sGuide to Radon".
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| Home Sellers | Home Buyers |
If You're Selling a Home
Test your home before putting it on the market and, if necessary,lower your radon levels. Save the test results and all information youhave about steps that were taken to fix any problems. This could be a positiveselling point!
- If your home has already been tested for radon provide your test resultsto the buyer. No matter what kind of test you took, a potential buyer mayask for a new test especially if:
- you have renovated or altered your home since you tested;
- the buyer plans to live in a lower level of the house than you do, such as a basement which is suitable for occupancy but is not currently lived in; or
- your state requires disclosure of radon information to buyers.
- If the home has not yet been tested for radon . . . .
Have a test taken as soon as possible. If you can, test your home before putting it on the market because this may save time during real estate transactions. You should test in the lowest level of the home which is suitable for occupancy and finished. 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 result of the radon test is important information about your home's radon level thatpotential buyers may want to know.
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If You're Buying a Home
- Ask the seller for radon test results.
- If no test has been conducted:
- If the home has been tested be sure to find out:
- results of the previous test.
- who conducted the previous 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 live in a lower level of the home. For example, the test may have been taken on the first floor; however, you may want to live in a basement which is not currently lived in but which is suitable for occupancy without renovation.
- what, if any, structural changes or alterations have been made to the house since the test was done. Such changes might affect radon levels.
- Do not rely on radon test results taken in other homes in the neighborhoodto estimate the radon level in your home. Homes which are next to eachother can have different indoor radon levels. While radon problems maybe more common in some areas in the local community or state, any homemay have a problem. Testing your home is the only way to find out whatyour radon levels are.
Make sure that a radon test is done as soon as possible. You should consider including provisions in the contract specifying who should conduct the test, what type of
test to do, when to do the test, and how the seller and the buyer will share the test results, test costs and, if necessary, when radon reduction measures should be taken and who should 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 inthe future, radon tests should be taken before and after the area is finished.Radon reduction costs could be incurred if high levels are found in thatarea. Generally, it is less expensive to install a radon reduction systembefore or during renovations rather than afterwards.
Builders can incorporate radon-resistant features into the homes theybuild. Some states, counties and local jurisdictions may adopt radon-resistantconstruction features in their building codes, which builders must thenfollow. Radon-resistant construction standards can be applied dependingon the radon potential in a particular area. Many builders already useradon resistant building features.
New home buyers should ask if radon-resistant construction techniqueshave been built into the new home they are considering for purchase. Buyersshould also ask whether information about radon is available. For custom-builthomes, the buyer should discuss radon- resistant features with the builder,including the cost.
After Testing: What to do if Your Home has High Levels of RADON