Is Radon Gas a Deal-Breaker for Buying a House? (real estate, credit)
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I'm buying a house that disclosed having had radon gas in 1994, when the sellers first purchased the home. Is this something to be very concerned about? The have a mitigation system installed.
You should have the house tested and make the house passing the test one of your contingencies. I'm sure your real estate agent is familiar with the process. If the house passes the test there is nothing to worry about. If the house fails the test, the mitigation system may need to be updated/repaired so that the levels are reduced to the recommended limits. This will generally be paid for by the seller.
In general, the health risks from radon are incredibly low for non-smokers and are not something I would be overly concerned about unless the levels were insanely high and could not be controlled with a mitigation system.
You should have the house tested and make the house passing the test one of your contingencies. I'm sure your real estate agent is familiar with the process. If the house passes the test there is nothing to worry about. If the house fails the test, the mitigation system may need to be updated/repaired so that the levels are reduced to the recommended limits. This will generally be paid for by the seller.
In general, the health risks from radon are incredibly low for non-smokers and are not something I would be overly concerned about unless the levels were insanely high and could not be controlled with a mitigation system.
Also, you'd have to have incredibly high levels and spend the majority of your time living in the basement chain smoking unfiltered camels to see any health implications. That said Radon remediation is fairly inexpensive and painless. They find the underground vein(pocket of radon gas), drill down to it and install a pipe and fan to vent it out. Get an estimate but you are typically talking $1000-$3000 not $10's of thousands even for new installation. If it's properly installed you should have the system checked and there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Also, you'd have to have incredibly high levels and spend the majority of your time living in the basement chain smoking smoking unfiltered camels to see any health implications. That said Radon remediation is fairly inexpensive and painless. They find the underground vein(pocket of radon gas), drill down to it and install a pipe and fan to vent it out. Get an estimate but you are typically talking $1000-$3000 not $10's of thousands(this should absolutely be credited by the existing homeowner, unless they said upfront remediation was factored into the asking price)
Having recently gone through a lengthy "radon argument" in the South Jersey subforum (see: Ilkem granite thread) where I championed what you are pointing out; I chose to err on the side of restraint and just point out it's not something to lose sleep over...unless of course the house is built on top of a uranium mine and you do in fact chain smoke unfiltered Camels in your basement 18 hours a day...lol.
Radon is a standard test usually included in your home inspection. you could always use your inspection clause to get out of the purchase, if radon is still an issue and you and/or the buyer doesn't want to properly deal with it.
Having recently gone through a lengthy "radon argument" in the South Jersey subforum (see: Ilkem granite thread) where I championed what you are pointing out; I chose to err on the side of restraint and just point out it's not something to lose sleep over...unless of course the house is built on top of a uranium mine and you do in fact chain smoke unfiltered Camels in your basement 18 hours a day...lol.
lol. Having a parent who pretty much ran the Department of Epidemiology for the State Health Department has given me a somewhat behind the curtain view and made me pretty numb to a lot of the nonsense out there regarding radon, asbestos, and other pollutants as they pertain to health. While there is plenty of evidence to support some vigilance the kind of reactions that people have when hearing these terms is for the most part completely unwarranted and brought on by government regulations that are largely politically($) motivated and sensationalist media reporting.
Radon is a standard test usually included in your home inspection. you could always use your inspection clause to get out of the purchase, if radon is still an issue and you and/or the buyer doesn't want to properly deal with it.
Buyers who "just don't want to deal with it" could have a very hard time finding a home in New Jersey. There is a lot of radon in many areas due to geology. In Hunterdon County at least, the telltale PVC pipes running up the sides of houses are an extremely common sight.
lol. Having a parent who pretty much ran the Department of Epidemiology for the State Health Department has given me a somewhat behind the curtain view and made me pretty numb to a lot of the nonsense out there regarding radon, asbestos, and other pollutants as they pertain to health. While there is plenty of evidence to support some vigilance the kind of reactions that people have when hearing these terms is for the most part completely unwarranted and brought on by government regulations that are largely politically($) motivated and sensationalist media reporting.
this is a great post. it's one thing to work in a factory for 20 years with asbestos being inhaled 5 days a week, and it's another thing to have asbestos in your house. people make such a big deal about it. my realtor shrugged when the home inspector pointed out the basement ceiling plaster had asbestos in it and the inspector said "as long as you don't touch it, it's nothing to worry about", and the realtor said "i tore this stuff out of my basement myself, what's the big deal?". and the realtor has a good point. it's not like you're inhaling it all in.
the radon isn't a concern for me. heck...their tons of toxins in the air in our homes, it's probably the least of our worries. especially if their is a remediation system installed.
Radon is easily mitigated and is no longer a big concern in the market. Sellers almost always deal with the issue and upon retest, the readings are nearly always close to zero. So no issue at all. Do your test, mitigate as necessary, and enjoy the house.
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