In the real estate transaction, radon come up a lot and there is a certain amount of mis information about this. The facts are, this is one environmental issue that should not be controversial due to the scientific data we have about this. We know this exits and has been proven over many years in the coal mining industry and the exposure miners have working deep in the ground. Here is physics of it all: Radon is a radioactive noble gas that comes from the decay of radium in the soil. Radium is also a daughter or progeny nuclide of Uranium (Uranium decay). Radon is a colorless, odorless, invisible gas that can only be detected through the use of proper equipment and protocols. Its been around since time and memorial. It comes from uranium in the rock and if there is a source of uranium in the rock deep below a home, the radon then percolates up in the soil and when a house is placed over top of this area, radon gas can collect. FACT-There is no such thing as zero radon, just levels from very low to very high. FACT- It’s the number one cause of Lung cancer in NON smokers. FACT-it’s one of the easiest environmental issue to mitigate.
Therefore, there are two reasons you may want to test for Radon when you purchase your home: 1. Because you may be concerned with the health ramifications for your family 2. To know so you can have the mitigation costs factored into your negotiations and 3. This can be an issue upon resale and then it’s your issue. The cost to mitigate is between $800 and $1200 dollars and the cost to test is somewhere between $150 and $175