Sellers and realtors have a roll in obtaining a proper radon test result. If you are selling a home you need to know your responsibilities so you don't inadvertently violate a test result.  If you are purchasing a home, you should be sure the seller knows their responsibilities; this is often best done through the involved realtors.  Please click here to learn about how a seller can be provided with the proper testing protocol.

RADON GAS - Everyone should test their home!

Out of all the environmental issues related to most home sales, radon is the only test the EPA recommends all home owners do.  It is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall and the first leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.  It is estimated that 15,000 to 20,000 deaths occur per year in the US due to radon.

Testing for radon has often been a controversial issue as a part of the home inspection.  Scientific studies conducted outside the EPA caused some confusion.  Conclusions were once drawn from studies on miners that spend much of their time underground and exposed to higher levels of radon than the average homeowner.  To some scientist this was not an acceptable way to determine the risk of residential exposure to radon.  Other geographical studies were done that made it appear that some areas with high radon levels had less cases of lung cancer than some areas with less radon.  These types of studies did not take into account things like how often people moved, or how much time they actually spent in their home as opposed to work or other activities that took them out of their environment of high radon.  Other studies that take this information into account confirm the risk of radon. In 2005 residential studies done in North America and Europe have brought more conclusive results that indicate radon is the potential risk the EPA has been saying it is.  Any responsible scientist today agrees radon is a health hazard.  The only controversy that exists now is how much of a hazard it is.  Why risk it?  Testing is inexpensive and if radon levels are high, relatively inexpensive mitigation systems can be installed.

Whether you believe radon is a health risk of not, there are still reasons for having a house tested for radon  as part of the home inspection.  One day you may be selling the home you are now buying.  The person buying your home may test.  If they do and the results are high, you may be shelling out the money for a remediation system.  If you test during your inspection you may be able to have some recourse with the seller for making the corrections needed.

What is Radon?

Radon is an odorless colorless radioactive gas which is produce from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Because radon is a gas it generally moves up through the ground and into the air we breath. Both inside and outside air contain some level of radon. Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). The average outside level of radon is 0.4pCi/L while the average inside level is estimated to be about 1.3pCi/L. The EPA recommended action level isf 4.0pCi/L or higher are found in a home.

Because radon is a radio active gas it can cause lung cancer when breathed for a long enough period of time at high enough levels. The EPA reports that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and is responsible for up to 20,000 deaths per year.

The EPA’s recommendation of making corrections in a home with 4.0pCi/L or higher is not because this is the level they know is too dangerous and anything less is ok.  It is based on current technology for reducing radon.  It is understood that with the systems available today, a home's radon level can be brought down below  4.0pCi/L.  Lesser levels are only less dangerous, not safe.

There are no Federal or Connecticut state laws governing radon measurement.  The EPA has a recommended protocol for testing for radon and its action level that has become widely accepted as the best way to deal with radon.