In the middle of reviewing your contract, your agent or attorney asked if you were planning on conducting a radon test. It’s a question we also ask while booking inspections frequently and most times when the person on the other side objects to radon, the answers we hear are the same.
“What is radon?”
“Do I have to?”
“I don’t need it, the house is in Ocean County.”
“I don’t need it, it doesn’t have a basement”.
“No, I don’t want to spend the extra money.”
Let’s help you make an informed decision!
What is radon and why is it important to test? Answers to these questions, can be further explained if you: click here.
Radon is an extremely toxic, colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils, rocks and water. Radon is a lung carcinogen that is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the USA. Radon varies from one house to the next. The amount of radon that escapes from the soil that can enter the house depends on the weather, soil porosity, soil moisture and the suction within the house. Levels can vary widely, even from home to home in the same neighborhood.
Do I have to? Typically, wood destroying insect (termite) and home inspections are the 2 most commonly booked inspections. Radon is not mandatory (yet), during typical real estate transactions, but you should always consult your attorney, agent or mortgage company for specific requirements.
Radon MYTH: Radon Does NOT Exist in Ocean County: FALSE! Radon if you were to look at a map of NJ, has a lower likelihood per EPA collected data of testing in a range where mitigation is suggested, however, it does not say it doesn’t exist. People have been trained to not test here in Ocean County, however, as more people are migrating from areas where radon is present, the testing demand has increased. With more testing being conducted, we are seeing more homes requiring mitigation. We have taken results of the past 3 months worth (calculated November 2019), of our testing conducted and 22% of tests performed in Ocean County, were in the range for mitigation.
Radon Myth: I don’t need it, it doesn’t have a basement: FALSE! Radon can enter the home on crawlspaces, slabs or basements. You do NOT have to have a basement to need mitigation. There are many ways for radon to enter the home.
I don’t want to spend the extra money: Most radon testing is conducted during a real estate transaction, most don’t do it independently. Yes, it is an added small cost, however, mitigation systems cost more than the test.
For more information on radon, testing and what happens next: click here.