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Buying a New House

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Safety

October 1, 2019

Five common questions about radon buyers need to know when purchasing a new home.

You may not realize it, but a “silent killer” could be seeping into your home. Radon, a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water, can get into the house through openings and cracks in the foundation. And the consequences can be deadly: Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking, according to the American Cancer Institute, causing an estimated 15,000 to 22,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

It’s a chilling fact that Rachel Drazan Malmberg, a former ice hockey player, knows all too well. Rachel, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. “Upon doing some research, and talking with my clinician, we decided that it’s very likely I had some long-term exposure to Radon,” Malmberg said. “We did some testing in my childhood home that I lived at for 19 years and then my current home, and both of those came back with high test results, which would indicate a very close relevance to being able to pin that to my lung cancer.” Because Radon is invisible, odorless, and tasteless, it’s impossible to detect without proper testing.

The good news? It’s easy to check for Radon. And should Radon be detected in your home, it’s easy to remedy the problem by installing a Radon mitigation system. The EPA recommends testing your home every two years. Testing is recommended to be performed by a professional, called a Radon measurement specialist. Head over to our Radon testing information page here to find a measurement specialist in your area.

Buying a new house? It's the perfect time to think about Radon.

We sat down with Crystal Lytle, the Radon Sales Manager at Fantech and AARST Foundation Chairperson, to ask the TOP 5 questions home buyers should ask homebuilding professionals to lessen the risk of Radon exposure before buying a new home.

Q: Will you be testing my new home for Radon? Is this step required by code?

A: Most jurisdictions in the U.S. recommend new homes to be tested for Radon. Either way, verify to make sure the testing is completed and ask for paperwork showing the results.

Q: What did the Radon test show? If the Radon levels are high, what is the plan to remedy the problem and to protect my family?

A: Your builder should work with a professional Radon mitigator to design the right mitigation system for your home. Ask them to explain your options and the advantages and disadvantages of each system.

Q: If Radon is detected in my new home, what do I need to know about my Radon mitigation system?

A: Make sure you understand any required maintenance, servicing needs, operational indicators, warranties, etc. Also, keep in mind that even with a Radon mitigation system in place, you’ll still need to test your home for Radon every two years to ensure it’s working properly and that your levels are still low.

Q: What are the chances that Radon levels in my home will remain low in the future?

A: Just because Radon isn’t present in your home when initially tested doesn’t mean it won’t be present later; levels can fluctuate over time for a number of reasons, such as weather, temperature, or erosion, so testing every other year can ensure Radon levels are still low. In addition, much like wiring a house for future installation of solar, builders can incorporate a passive system into the new home, essentially hiding a pipe within the structure for installation of a Radon mitigation fan system if needed in the future, rather than having to attach that future system to the outside where it’s more visible.

Q: If you are installing a passive system, can you tell me more about it? Who is installing it?

A: Your contractor should have a clear understanding of the workings of such a system, and the systems should be installed by a Radon professional with experience with passive systems to avoid failure.