It seems like just about ten years or so ago that testing for radon in our area (Northeast Ohio) was rare. Now it has become very common......seems like at least 60 to 70 percent of home buyers test for radon as part of their purchase and inspections. And, just like we hardly ever seemed to come across elevated levels of radon when we seldom tested.......today it is becoming more common to find homes in need of radon mitigation since we are testing for it more often.
I understand from radon testers that the short, 48 hour test done as part of a real estate transaction is not the best test but due to the limited time in the inspection clause it is the one most often used. I am told there is a 90 day test that is more reliable.
I am regularly surprised to find people who have never tested for radon in their home and yet they have a finished basement area where they and or their children may spend considerable time. And then when they sell their home and the new buyer has a radon test come back high, first the seller is unhappy that they are being asked by the buyer to mitigate, but then as it sinks in.......they have been living with that elevated radon level for how long? That is the bigger potential problem.........much more so than the cost of mitigating for the next owner.
In my neighborhood of just over 100 homes a high percentage of us who test for radon has an elevated level. I have tried my best to encourage my neighbors to test. I wish more homeowners would have their homes tested for their OWN benefit, rather than waiting to test and possibly mitigate for someone else.
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