What Should You Do If Your Home Tests High for Radon Gas?

If your home tests above the limit for radon gas, here’s what you need to do.

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How does radon gas affect you as a homebuyer?

When you buy a home, one of the steps you must take is to order a home inspection. Part of that inspection should include testing for radon gas.

How does this test work? The home inspector simply sets a canister inside the home and lets it sit there for a couple days before sending it to a laboratory to see how the house tested. If the results are within the legal limits, you’re good to go. If the results are above the legal limits, you want to address that as soon as possible because radon gas can be harmful to your health. A safe level of radon gas is anything below four pCi/L. A one-time test usually costs anywhere from $50 to $75.

If your prospective home tests above the limit, the good news is there are plenty of companies out there who can install radon mitigation systems. They typically cost anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500. These systems basically involve a fan that sucks the gas out of the home’s basement and directs it outside. There’s also a gauge on the fan that will tell you the radon level at any given moment.


If your home tests above the acceptable limit, you need to address that immediately.
Just because your neighbor doesn’t have radon gas doesn’t mean your levels might not be high. This kind of situation tends to happen in pockets, so it’s not something you can paint with a broad brush. By getting your new home tested, you can sleep well at night knowing your family is safe.

If you have any questions about this or any other real estate-related topic, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to help!

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