The Importance of Having Your House Inspected for Radon

By Ryan Young
Royal Oak, MI
Posted Sunday, February 25, 2018

The Importance of Having Your House Inspected for Radon

EPA RECOMMENDS: If you are buying or selling a home, have it tested for radon. For a new home, ask if radon-resistant construction features were used and if the home has been tested. Fix the home if the radon level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and, in many cases, may be reduced. Take steps to prevent device interference when conducting a radon test.

EPA estimates that radon causes thousands of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.

*Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to EPA’s 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2005-2006 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2006 National Safety Council Reports.

Common Radon Entry Points

There are four main factors that permit radon to seep into homes. All homes have some type of radon-entry pathway:

Uranium is present in the soil nearly everywhere in the United States.
The soil is permeable enough to allow radon to migrate into a home through the slab, basement or crawlspace.
There are pathways for radon to enter the basement, such as small holes, cracks, plumbing penetrations and sump pumps.
A difference in air pressure between the basement or crawlspace and the surrounding soil draws radon into the home.

Radon enters through:

Cracks in otherwise solid floors
Gaps in suspended floors
Cracks in walls
Cavities inside walls
Gaps around service pipes
Construction joints
Tthe water supply

Every house has radon. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) does not approve any amount of radon to be safe.

The EPA recommends mitigation in homes with 2-4 pCi/L. Do you know what your homes Radon level is?

Crawlspace, Slab, Basement and any combination of foundation have Radon.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer aside from Smoking.

Read the complete guide from the EPA

Ryan Young

I am a licensed residential builder in the State of Michigan (ID #2102211191). I have been licensed as a builder for 5 years. This sets me apart as the State of Michigan does not license home inspectors. I have worked in the building and inspection industry for 14 years. I inspected hundreds of bank owned homes during the foreclosure crisis.

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