The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that every home tested for Radon. About 1 in 15 homes nationwide has elevated radon levels and require mitigation (these numbers are even higher in Ohio). Radon is listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) as a leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that enters homes from underground through cracks and leaks in the foundation. The gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless; so the only way to know if it exists in elevated levels in a home is to test. The Ohio Department of Health requires individuals to be licensed to perform radon tests.
Requests for radon tests are becoming a more common part of real estate transactions and shouldn’t be deal breakers. If elevated levels are found a state-licensed mitigation contractor can install a ventilation system that will allow radon gas to be directed away from the living area to the outside air.
Costs for a mitigation system typically run between $800 & $2,000. This is a small percentage of the cost of the total transaction and should make the issue a negotiation point not a deal breaker. Testing can be performed during the inspection window and in addition to the standard home inspection. If the levels come in above the EPA’s recommended safe level of 4.0 pCi/L, you did not agree to purchase the home “As-Is”, and your contract includes a remedy period, you may then ask the Seller to cover the costs associated with installing a radon mitigation system. Once the system is installed the mitigation company will then perform post testing to ensure the radon levels are below the fore mentioned acceptable range.
Several USEPA brochures on radon are available, including the Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon which deals specifically with real estate transactions. Check out USEPA’s Web site for additional details at www.epa.gov/radon.
For radon testing and mitigation we recommend Columbus Radon Mitigation at 614.674.9663.
If you, or someone you know is considering Buying or Selling a Home in Columbus, Ohio please give us a call and we’d be happy to assist you!
The Opland Group Specializes in Real Estate Sales, Luxury Home Sales, Short Sales in; Bexley 43209 Columbus 43201 43206 43214 43215 Delaware 43015 Downtown Dublin 43016 43017 Gahanna 43219 43230 Grandview Heights 43212 Galena 43021 Hilliard 43026 Lewis Center 43035 New Albany 43054 Pickeringto, 43147 Polaris Powell 43065 Upper Arlington 43220 43221 Westerville 43081 43082 Worthington 43235
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