Question:
During the home inspection prior to purchase, a radon test was ordered and elevated concentrations were found above 4 pCi/L. Is this a concern?
Answer:
The EPA has determined that long term exposure to elevated levels of radon (above 4.0 pCi/L) is a potential cause of lung cancer. However, If you like the house, radon shouldn't be a reason to back out of the deal! Techniques have been developed that when utilized by certified mitigation contractors can nearly always reduce the radon level concentrations to below 4.0 pCi/L.
You may work out an agreement with the seller to fix it before you move in. Regardless of who gets it fixed, you can go ahead with the purchase, confident that once a contract with a certified mitigator has been signed to fix the problem, it can be scheduled and performed after you move in and are settled.
Question:
My client's home came back at 10.4 pCi. However, I know that the house has been sitting closed up and vacant for several months . Surely this affected the reading being high!
Answer:
It sounds like it would make sense, however, but this simply isn't the case. Radon gas is made up of radioactive particles that have a life once they are emitted into the air (about 4 days). At the end of this time, they die.
As the particles die, they are continuously replaced by other ones. Otherwise, the radon levels in a room could conceivably be in the hundreds. Even if you open up all the windows and doors and completely air the house out, after about 24-48 hours, the original radon levels would be achieved again.
Question
Some houses I have sold have had problems with radon, some haven't. Why is this?
Answer:
There are a number of things that affect how significant radon is in a home. These include: 1) how much radon exists in the earth beneath the home, 2) how permeable (soft) the soil is to allow the radon to move through it, 3) how tight the house is, (if it holds in heat and cold well, it will retain anything else there, 4) whether or not there are places for the radon to enter the home: e.g., cracks in the slab, plumbing piping openings, gaps around the perimeter of the foundation, floor drains, cinder block walls, crawl space flooring.
Question:
When is the best time to test for radon?
Answer:
Unfortunately, most radon tests are performed just prior to real estate closings when there isn't much time. These tests are generally 48-96 hours in length. They are performed in an effort to determine whether or not a home has an elevated level of radon (above the EPA standard of 4.0 pCi) (picocuries per liter). The unfortunate side to these short term tests is that they are more subject to fluctuations since radon varies in its level of intensity and as a result of air movement in the house. The BEST time to test for radon is when you have plenty of time.
A 30 to 90 day test will generate a more accurate picture of what the real radon average in the home is versus simply what is encountered during the normal 48-96 hour test. At Radon-Pros, we commonly tell real estate professionals that if a house currently has a radon problem, it won't go away! So recommending to their client to initiate a minimum 30 day test when the house goes on the market may help avoid the potential for a borderline test result to mandate that the seller install a radon abatement system. If the house ends up selling prior to the 30 days time period, money could be set aside in escrow in case work is later needed to be performed. But the need would be determined by the long term test results NOT the short term tests.
Question:
Do you have to be certified to perform radon test measurement and interpretation?
Answer:
Unlike other states , there is currently no law in Colorado requiring those individuals who perform radon testing to be have demonstrated an acceptable proficiency level for doing so. However, that being said, realtors and homeowners should understand that there is more to a radon test than simply placing a test kit in a home.
Each test should be performed in accordance with all the EPA's testing protocols. By not doing so, you run the risk of a test coming back with inaccurate readings. Only those individuals who have passed an examination in the EPA test measurement and interpretation protocols are qualified to perform a radon test for a real estate transaction. Individuals conducting radon testing should be certified to do so by either the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) or by the National Radon Safety Board, (NRSB). Lists of certified individuals are displayed on the websites noted for each of these organizations.
Question:
What if the seller refuses to his/her house to be tested?
Answer:
Testing a home for radon may done either prior to or after the time of purchase. Generally, most sellers should have no reservations about a test being performed if the buyer is willing to pay for it. However, reservations about having a radon test performed in their house could cloud the sale!
Question
Should the same company that installed the mitigation system perform the follow-up testing to confirm success?
Answer:
Section 17.5 of the EPA's Mitigation standards state that the mitigation contractor should at least recommend to the client to get an independent follow-up test to avoid a perceived conflict of interest. On real estate transactions, you should always use someone that is certified in Radon Test Measurement and Interpretation of the results.
Question:
Are you sure that radon problem can be fixed?
Answer:
Contractors trained in EPA mitigation standards can install successful radon mitigation systems. In talking to mitigation contractors, request a written proposal that includes guarantees of resulting concentrations that are less than 4.0 pCi/L.
Question:
What things should I write into the contract offer?
Answer:
1) Be specific on what is an acceptable reading.
2) Consider who will be doing the pre-sale radon testing (are they certified to do so?) and at whose expense it will be conducted?
3) If the radon readings are elevated, will mitigation be acceptable? Who will pay for the work?
4) If radon mitigation is decided upon, who will perform the work? Are they certified by NEHA or the NRSB? (Any company since 1998 stating that they are EPA-listed, EPA-licensed or EPA-approved is falsely misrepresenting themselves and is subject to de-certification).
5) Will the individual that is certified to handle the mitigation be on-site for the during of your job in case problems arise or will the work be handled by uncertified sub-contractors?
6) Do they carry General Liability Insurance and can they produce a insurance certificate to verify this?
7) To avoid a potential conflict of interest, insist that follow-up testing be conducted by an independent individual that is certified to perform Radon Test Measurement and Test Interpretation by either NEHA or the NRSB.
8) Who will determine the success of the mitigation system?
9) Does their proposal include a checklist of all EPA required items?
10) How and when will the contractor be paid?
