The type of monitor that is used is typically based on preference, along with the types of tests that the Inspector plans on offering either short-term or long-term radon tests. Long-term exposure to high levels of radon can cause lung cancer. If you are planning any major structural renovation, such as converting an unfinished basement area into living space, it is especially important to test the area for radon before you begin the renovation. Consumer Privacy Act, Home Inspection Software These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. I direct [clients] to the [Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection] website, which has a list that they update monthly of all the licensed testers and the licensed remediators in the state. , sometimes called a vapor barrier, uses a vapor barrier, fans, and piping to create a low-pressure environment that gathers radon underneath the home. Radon can easily enter your home because it is a gas. Menu. Make sure you retest a few months after your home is fixed to see if a radon levels were reduced. Contact Us It is formed through the breakdown of radioactive metals like radium, thorium, and uranium. For a chart of radon legislation and statutes by state, last updated in 2015, visit the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Radon Overview page. Frequently Asked Questions. The EPA recommends doing a second test if an initial short-term test registers 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. These tests contain activated charcoal that absorbs radon gas and is then sent to a lab for measurement. For instance, if you decide to refer specific companies, request that they add you as an additional insured. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. As radon gas rises from the earth, radon testing equipment should be installed on your lowest occupied floor: the first floor in most buildings, but the basement for most . Radon poisoning is just one of the ways your house may be making you sick. By helping everyone understand to not move monitors or alter testing conditions, you can avoid accusations from compromised testing. Pros usually charge between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars to install a radon mitigation system, depending on your home and your radon levels. Because radon gas rises up from the ground, your radon testing device should be placed on the lowest level of the home that is typically occupied: the first floor in most buildings, but the basement if its finished to provide living space. Mold FAQs. Sublimited policies offer you ancillary services endorsements with less coverage per individual service. Consumers Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home. Radon is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that is naturally created from the decay of radioactive elements, such as uranium, which can be found in different amounts in soil and rock throughout the State of Ohio. This allows clients to decode the picocuries in their reports. Short-term tests are available at home centers, hardware stores and online retailers. National Radon Action Month Why Is It So Important. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. This makes it that much more troubling. And if you dont understand radon and the proper testing protocols, you wont be able to provide a reliable test.. The only way to know if theres an actionable level of radon in your home is to perform a radon test. Radon gas moves from the soil into a home. The most common mitigation methods are installing a quality vapor retarder or sub-slab ventilation under concrete floors. The American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (, The American Society of Home Inspectors (, The International Association of Home Inspectors (, Provide time-integrated radon measurement, Can provide data on range of variation within test period. Ive helped hundreds of DIYers reduce their radon levels to acceptable levels, says Riedman. Additionally, the EPAs own guide exposes the largest flaw with its lung cancer death statistic: its inclusion of smokers. A radon test is important because it can help identify if your home has elevated levels of radon gas. Any home can have an actionable radon level, defined as a level of radon thats hazardous to your physical health. When asked why they offer radon testing, the 10 home inspectors we surveyed said that they offered the service for one or more of the following reasons: The labels silent killer and cancer-causing radioactive gas affect public opinion and discourse about radon. You can find more information on reducing radon in your home in the Consumers Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home. (You can read more about additional insured endorsements here.). Radon isnt a problem outdoors, because it quickly dissipates into the atmosphere, leaving only miniscule amounts in the air you breathe. Sample Websites & Reports This monitor measured unsafe radiation levels for plant workers. Active radon monitors are often a part of a radon mitigation system, which is installed to reduce radon levels in a home. Results from any long-term test are also 4 pCi/L. It really depends on the way your specific house interacts with the surrounding soil. See how radon can get into your home by clicking on the graphic above. If its 20 picocuries per liter, then its about a 1-in-10 chance of getting lung cancer, almost like smoking two packs a day.. Furthermore, they like the ability to customize the number of monitors they lease to adjust to fluctuating client demand. At the end of the test, a chemical treatment can be used to make each mark visible to the professional Inspector, who can then see if there are a lot, or only a few, marks left from the alpha particles. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. So, if you perform radon testing or want defense and indemnity for claims involving radon testing, you may wish to change an existing policy exclusion with an endorsement. In 2017, Harvard Universitys Department of Environmental Health published an article in which they argued that the EPAs radon-induced lung cancer deaths may be enlarged due to failure to account for diesel engine exposure. This ensures that, if you are named in claim regarding their remediation services, their coverage will defend you. Inspector Website Services Hiring a professional will help ensure that accurate results are obtained. If you're getting a general home inspection, such as the inspection when selling or buying a home, you can usually add a radon test for about $150 (CAD 190) more. At the end of the testing period, if high levels of radon are detected, a comprehensive plan to resolve the issue and make the home safe must be created. However, despite numerous revisions, including the latest in March 2018, the EPA has yet to update the figure in their guide. Home inspectors can learn more about offering additional inspection services from our article Endorsements: Spend money to make money in your home inspection business.. Typical Range: $145 - $715 Find out how much your project will cost. In this article, we explore why 10 home inspectors chose to offer radon testing and what advice they have for home inspectors thinking about offering the service. A radon kit is used to test radon gas levels and radioactive particles and measure them in order to estimate the total amount of radon in the homes air. (You can also run the vent up through the house and out the roof, which is a lot more work and cost, but it looks better). ; Increased Comfort - Houses smells better, heats and cools quicker. When conducting a short-term test, typically over a couple of days, its important that the homes windows and doors to the outside, except for normal entry and exit, are kept closed to ensure an accurate result. You can buy one at a hardware store or online. Most, such as the AccuStar test shown in the photo, are based on alpha particle tracking. It is not a problem outdoors because it quickly goes away into the air. Lung cancer is a serious issue, and if it can help my clients in a way, I will offer radon testing, Young said. Only a small percentage of radon originates from drinking water. Thats because radon can become trapped inside and build up to unsafe levels. There are two groups of radon devices for short-term testing: passive devicessuch as alpha track detectors, charcoal canisters, carbon liquid scintillation detectors, and electret ion chamber detectorsand active devicesincluding continuous radon monitors (CRMs) and continuous working level monitors. Radon can be harmful if it is present at high levels in a home, as it can cause lung cancer. Realizing that testing could provide further income to her inspection business, Smith began offering radon testing. Testing your home is the only way to know if radon levels are high. These efforts alone rarely reduce levels significantly, but if your level is only slightly elevated, these repairs might make the difference. Typically, what causes radon in homes is what is underneath the home. The same is true for radon gas, which can cause lung cancer in fact, radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Note that his million-dollar limits do not apply to his radon inspections. A short-term radon test like this charcoal canister will help you decide if more extensive testing is needed. There is a section on radon testing including the EPA and U.S. provides a map of radon zones by state and county. The container test is the most common do-it-yourself (DIY) radon test. Theyre more precise and read out variations in radon levels throughout the test period. 2023 Radon Testing & Inspection Costs - HomeAdvisor True Cost Guide Environmental Safety Test For Radon Gas How Much Does a Radon Inspection Cost? Short-term tests are useful to see if further testing is warranted. To find out more about radon test kits, visit Radon Hotlines and Information Resources or refer to the EPAwebsite on how to use a test kit. So, if a home inspector performed 300 inspections a year and half of them opted into their $150 radon test, that inspector would make $22,500 more in gross revenue. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends hiring a qualified tester if you are buying or selling your home. Radon-associated lung cancer can be prevented by limiting exposure to radon in indoor air. If levels are still high, consider installing a radon mitigation system yourself or hire a pro. Get the proper trainingeven if you are in an unregulated state, like we are in Tennessee, Patterson said. Radon testing is considered a specialty inspection and isn't a service that's automatically included in a traditional home inspection. We recommend our users to update the browser. InspectorPro Insurance is the leading provider of home inspector insurance in the nation. Consequentially, to avoid this, we recommend that inspectors explain procedures to clients and others who could unintentionally interfere with measurements. Learning Articles More evidence may be needed to fully grasp the relationship between radon and lung cancer (more below). The vent pipe exits out the side of the house and up to the eaves, where the radon gas disperses harmlessly into the atmosphere. According to Stadther, being able to have knowledgeable conversations about radon doesnt just lead to increased client satisfaction. Careers, Terms of Use Dont use whole-house fans. The one way to see for sure if you have Radon is by a Radon inspection and test. News & Updates In one case, homeowners opened windows during testing, resulting in fluctuating levels reported by our insured inspector and other specialists. Your email address will not be published. You may be encouraged to conduct a radon test if youre building or buying a home. Radon can get into homes and buildings through small cracks or holes and build up in the air. Middle Tennessee has mostly rock a few feet underground, which allows the radon gas to find an easy way out into our atmosphere, Patterson said. Use mastic or foil tape intended for this purpose. Join over 30,000 home inspectors who receive risk management tips twice a month from the InspectorPro newsletter. A reminder for anyone struggling to recall high school chemistry class: uranium and radium are radioactive. Professional radon testing includes examining of all potential causes of radon exposure, including the soil around the home, sometimes down to the third layer of the earth. I dont refer specific remediators, Steger said. Similar mitigation measures can be installed in existing homes, especially those built on a crawl space or unfinished basement. Contact your state radon office for a list of qualified contractors in your area and for information on how to fix radon problems yourself. EPA Radon Hotlines and Information Resources. Need insurance coverage for your radon or other specialty inspection services? The alpha track detector includes a layer of film, usually made of plastic, that is used to catch alpha particles, which leaves a mark on the film. 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