Radon Gas: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, & Cobb (Jersey: buying a home, buying)

[globalnomad]

The AJC has an article regarding radon gas and says that 4 Georgia counties are at high risk: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Cobb.

Minimize your risk of radon exposure *| ajc.com

Since we live in DeKalb County, we plan to check this out.

Our house is relatively new (2003). I'm going to contact the builder to see if the "venting system" mentioned in the article is in place.

The article says, "Georgia has no laws or regulations governing radon" so perhaps radon-resistent construction is not the norm.

Just to be on the safe side, we'll get one of the $5 radon testing kits ($6.50 if ordered online).

The article includes links with more information for those of us who are unfamiliar with radon gas issues.

Suddenly that long crack in the basement floor looks creepy!

How many of you living in the affected counties have checked your homes for radon gas???

[neil0311]

We had a professional test as part of the home inspection. The inspector was certified and sealed the house for 48 hours in order to test with professional equipment. It's worth the extra money.

I would NOT trust a $6.50 test. You get what you pay for, and there is no way that kind of test is accurate.

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by globalnomad

The AJC has an article regarding radon gas and says that 4 Georgia counties are at high risk: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Cobb.

Minimize your risk of radon exposure *| ajc.com

Since we live in DeKalb County, we plan to check this out.

Our house is relatively new (2003). I'm going to contact the builder to see if the "venting system" mentioned in the article is in place.
The only way your new home would have a passive builder installed system would be if you were in a high risk Tier One zone where at least 25% of the homes tested were high. If Georgia has no radon program then its unlikely that your house, even if in a high risk zone, would have a passive system.
The article says, "Georgia has no laws or regulations governing radon" so perhaps radon-resistent construction is not the norm.

Just to be on the safe side, we'll get one of the $5 radon testing kits ($6.50 if ordered online).
I can't speak to the specific on line tests that your referring to however both Lowes and Home Depot sell test kits. I suggest you buy two and sit them side by side in your basement when testing and take the average of the two.
The article includes links with more information for those of us who are unfamiliar with radon gas issues.

Suddenly that long crack in the basement floor looks creepy!

How many of you living in the affected counties have checked your homes for radon gas???

My name is Mike and I am a New Jersey DEP licensed radon specialist with 20+ years experience....I do some testing but mostly I mitigate homes with elevated radon levels....over 100 a year.....please feel free to ask questions and I'll try to supply answers.

[RainyRainyDay]

We used a kit from Home Depot. It was around $10 for the kit, as best I recall, then we had to pay around $30 lab fee when we sent it in for analysis. If you follow the directions carefully, I think the do-it-yourself kits should be OK.

The important thing is to get on with testing, so if your home has unsafe radon levels, you can get on with mitigating it.

[neil0311]

As you can see from the EPA site, tests for Radon should be AT LEAST 2 days, and the home must be sealed in the process. I doubt most self tests bought at Home Depot or the like will do the job, but if it makes you feel better, it can't hurt.

A Citizen's Guide to Radon | Radon | US EPA

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by neil0311

As you can see from the EPA site, tests for Radon should be AT LEAST 2 days, and the home must be sealed in the process. I doubt most self tests bought at Home Depot or the like will do the job, but if it makes you feel better, it can't hurt.

A Citizen's Guide to Radon | Radon | US EPA

Actually, the instructions do not say the home must be sealed, if you read them.

Our testing process was exactly as recommended by the EPA under the heading SHORT-TERM TESTING at the link you provided. If I recall correctly, the testing period for our kit was 5 days and we left it in an undisturbed basement room, following all the EPA directives (which were, not surprisingly, identical to the instructions with the kit).

If I might hazard a guess, your contractor who did a two-day test was probably using one of the short-term testing technologies listed by EPA. For all we know, it could even be the same test as provided by the kit from Home Depot.

Under "How To Test Your Home", at the URL you provided, the EPA advises 'There are many kinds of low-cost "do-it-yourself" radon test kits you can get through the mail and in hardware stores and other retail outlets. If you prefer, or if you are buying or selling a home, you can hire a qualified tester to do the testing for you.'

It's curious that the EPA does not say "Do not use a do-it-yourself kit; only use a qualified tester." Are you more expert on this topic than the EPA?

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by neil0311

As you can see from the EPA site, tests for Radon should be AT LEAST 2 days, and the home must be sealed in the process. I doubt most self tests bought at Home Depot or the like will do the job, but if it makes you feel better, it can't hurt.

A Citizen's Guide to Radon | Radon | US EPA

Home Depot and Lowes kits are just fine....as I said before I would buy two and sit them side by side and take the average of the two kits. They should be placed in the basement as close to the center of the room as possible and about 30" off the floor. The minimum test time is 48 hours or 2 days but you can run the test longer, some as many as 7 days, but be sure to follow the opening and closure instructions properly and fill out the times on the data sheet properly. Finally, while the home does not need to be "sealed" you will need "closed house" conditions for your test.....this means the windows and doors must be kept closed during the test period except for normal exit and entry. Do not run any ceiling fans or whole house ventilator fans. Normal HVAC systems are ok.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Actually, the instructions do not say the home must be sealed, if you read them.

Our testing process was exactly as recommended by the EPA under the heading SHORT-TERM TESTING at the link you provided. If I recall correctly, the testing period for our kit was 5 days and we left it in an undisturbed basement room, following all the EPA directives (which were, not surprisingly, identical to the instructions with the kit).

If I might hazard a guess, your contractor who did a two-day test was probably using one of the short-term testing technologies listed by EPA. For all we know, it could even be the same test as provided by the kit from Home Depot.

Under "How To Test Your Home", at the URL you provided, the EPA advises 'There are many kinds of low-cost "do-it-yourself" radon test kits you can get through the mail and in hardware stores and other retail outlets. If you prefer, or if you are buying or selling a home, you can hire a qualified tester to do the testing for you.'

It's curious that the EPA does not say "Do not use a do-it-yourself kit; only use a qualified tester." Are you more expert on this topic than the EPA?

The equipment he used was not a DIY kit and he is a licensed tester with specialized equipment. My point is why skimp on something so important when you're buying a home where your children will live?

If a $5 test kit from Home Depot gives you peace of mind, then that's all that's important. I actually paid to have two separate tests done by professionals. The $400 was nothing compared to the relative knowledge that I didn't have radon at that point. Maybe doing a cheapy test once in a while just to keep an eye on it would be fine, but not when buying.

Did I waste my money...don't think so. This reminds me of the cheapy lead paint tests that people up north used to use to check for lead paint, when in reality a more thorough test was required.

Do I know more than the EPA...nope, and here is what they say. They recommend a professional when buying or selling.

"A September, 2008 Consumer Reports article points out a critical issue for radon risk reduction in the U.S., namely, the reliability of do-it-yourself (DIY) testing devices.

These do-it-yourself devices continue to provide generally practical and affordable measurements. They can give consumers the information they need about the radon level in their home, and in making a decision about whether to fix their home.

EPA recommends that you hire a qualified professional to test for radon when you are buying or selling a home."


How accurate are Do-it-Yourself radon test kits?

[AJ1972]

Thank you for posting about this and making me aware. We have a Chinese Drywall problem down here. However, now I am researching about the Radon problem up there (ATL area). I will, of course, check the home we choose before purchasing. But now I ask, how serious is this? What about the schools? What about hospitals, doctors offices, places of business? How do you know these places have the proper ventilation? Is there a way to check? Should I be this stressed out about it? The article was pretty serious.

Thanks.

[AJ1972]

You mean to tell me, after reading the article, that this is a hazard risk, and the state isn't doing anything about it?