When you become a homeowner, there are many things that come onto your radar that you likely never considered pre-homeownership. Enter: radon. If you’ve never owned a home or gone through the home inspection process, it’s likely that you’ve never heard of radon—what it is, where it’s found, why it’s hazardous, or the benefits associated with testing for it or installing a radon mitigation system.
If you fall into this category, or if you’re already a homeowner and haven’t heard of radon, never fear! We’re going to explore all-things radon so that you can feel better equipped to tackle this subject in your home dealings moving forward.
What is Radon?
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally when uranium, thorium, or radium break down in rocks, soil, and groundwater. As radon breaks down, it gives off radioactive particles that can damage lung cells if inhaled, and long periods of exposure to radon can cause lung cancer. In fact, radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
So why is this particularly important to homeowners? Radon exists in nearly all outdoor air, typically at low levels, and can also be found in groundwater. For homeowners, radon can come up through the ground through cracks in foundations, floors, or walls, and become trapped inside. Because of this, radon levels are typically highest in basements or crawl spaces, but it can build up in the air of any home or building, on any level.
How Can I Protect My Home from Radon?
While radon cannot be avoided completely, there are ways to mitigate radon in your home, and lower your risk of overexposure to the gas.
First, you’ll want to test the radon levels in your home to better understand what remedies you’ll need to lower the levels if necessary. To measure the radon levels in your home, you can acquire a test kit online or from most home improvement stores, or you can also have a professional come out to test your home.
Once you know your levels, the EPA recommends remedies for radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. However, lower levels can still pose a risk and can be reduced in many
cases. Here are a few actions you can take to reduce your home’s radon levels, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:
Increase Air Flow
Open windows, fans, and vents can help to increase the flow and improve air circulation in your home. While these methods can help, they are only temporary strategies for reducing radon.
Seal Cracks and Cover Earth Floors in Crawl Spaces
As we mentioned earlier, cracks in the foundation, floors, or walls can allow radon to seep into your home. Fixing any major foundation issues and sealing cracks with caulk, plaster, or other materials can help reduce the amount of radon that can enter your home.
Monitor Radon Levels
Testing once and making adjustments is just the first step. You’ll want to regularly monitor your radon levels to ensure the precautions you take continue to keep your radon levels at bay. The best way to do this is by installing a radon mitigation system. These systems not only monitor the radon levels in your home, but divert radon from the ground below the home and harmlessly disperse it into the air.
Radon in the Home-Buying and Selling Process
Whether buying or selling, you’ll want to have the house tested for radon during the home inspection process. Knowing the potential radon risks can inspire action plans to mitigate and lower the levels in the home, either by having a radon mitigation system installed, or making any necessary repairs or updates to the home to eliminate potential radon entry points.
As the homebuyer, check to see if the sellers have recently tested for radon. The EPA recommends having a radon inspection at least every two years. And, since most things can be negotiated during the process of buying and selling a home, it’s a good idea to opt in to testing since you might be able to get the sellers to foot the bill. If the levels are higher than the recommended 4 pCi/L, you might even be able to negotiate the installation of a radon mitigation system as part of the real estate transaction.
As the seller, there are several benefits to testing for radon and installing a mitigation system before listing your home on the market. Installing a mitigation system requires an investment on your part, but it will add to the resale value of your home and may give you leverage to garner a better price on your home. Additionally, it’ll provide peace of mind to the buyers, knowing they’ll be protected from high levels of radon.
For more on radon testing in the buying and selling process, the EPA created the Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon.
Key Takeaways
Radon is a silent and invisible threat to homes and is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. And though it cannot be completely avoided, there are steps you can take to mitigate the levels present in your home.
When buying or selling a house, it’s a good idea—both for health and financial reasons—to test for radon and take any necessary steps to get the levels to an acceptable level, either by reducing radon entry points or installing a radon mitigation system, or both! As a seller, you earn the trust of potential buyers and increase the value of your home, while buyers get peace of mind knowing their new home will be a safe space to grow and thrive.