What could tip off a potential buyer of a house that radon gas may be present?

The seller would be wise to do a test kit; the buyer can be reasonably certain that the inspection will reveal any radon problems. Then (if the contract so stipulates) radon remediation is the seller’s responsibility.

Brief exposure to radon while looking at houses won’t harm you, leave the detection to the professionals.

Sorry, should be radon “mitigation”, auto correct does stuff…

@canidmajor Is the test kit for a one time use? The cost http://www.howmuchisit.org/radon-testing-cost/ $175 per house? Added: Also, the person doesn’t seem interested in mitigation. Just avoid the house completely is their goal.

There aren’t any signs I know of. The buyer needs to do the test if they are concerned about it.

The test is the only way to detect. There aren’t any flags like the trees are changing colors.

Certain areas and types of ground or rock formations will be a tip-off that a Radon test should be done. But, it is only a test that could detect it.

The only way to tell is via testing for it. As far as I know of radon doesn’t give any tell-tale signs.

I read in the EPA site Radon can exist anywhere. What do the specialists in this topic or the home inspectors note that leads them to suspect that there is Radon which leads them to get the kit? If the person is going to visit 20 houses, with the intention of crossing out the ones with Radon, that is 175×20. $3500, just for that. And then there are other things to test for to test for, right? That can’t be the only thing.

@flo You only test the house you are interested in buying as part of the inspection process in the sales contract.

Very few people test for it. Maybe some parts of the country do it more than others.

Personally the only testing I know of, were done after the closing or of the sale of the house. Two of the ten times they found Radon.

@Tropical_Willie There are some people for whom it’s a deal breaker though. The house they are buying is the one without Radon, everything else is secondary.

Radon isn’t, or shouldn’t, be a deal breaker as it’s a simple fix. Not necessarily a cheap fix, but not one that would be out of line if you’re spending the money to buy a house. Radon basically seeps through the ground and can enter homes through the basement. So if the house doesn’t have a basement then it shouldn’t even be something to think about really. If the house does have a basement, and you’re serious about buying it, then you might want to test for radon. And even that’s going to depend on where you live. In the town I live in there’s a lot of radium in the ground, so absolutely radon testing should be done.

If the house does test positive for radon (even at that there’s a certain threshold that’s considered safe) then that’s a simple fix that just involves making the basement better ventilated. Radon isn’t like carbon monoxide or something. It’s not really poisonous, and it’s not something that’s going to kill you in your sleep. Basically, a higher than acceptable amount in the air can increase your chances of getting lung cancer at some point.

http://www.indoor-air-health-advisor.com/radon-poisoning.html

@flo: the thing about radon is that it can become a problem. You can buy a house that’s radon free, and in 10 years it might have radon. The ground is always shifting, radon can appear. And if the seller has done a test, and done the mitigation, the buyer most likely wouldn’t know. That shouldn’t be a factor in the decision.

What @canidmajor said. It’s good to test if you’re serious about buying a particular house. And it’s good to test periodically if you own a house. But it’s not necessary to test every home that you look at (or that’s even a “maybe”), nor should it be considered a deal breaker.

I agree with the above. My house has radon issues and it has a system in place that draws air from under the foundation and vents it up a pipe that runs along the chimney. I feel really safe here with that in place. When I made an offer on the house, the radon testing was part of the sale contingency. It had perfect air.

One thing to consider if this was a major concern to you is to look at a geological map of the area. Certain areas (like the one I live in) have large natural deposits.

If I were concerned about this I would probably make my offer contingent upon the test being performed by a competent home inspector prior to closing escrow.

@flo What part of the country is the house in? Also, I remember when I bought a house in NC my relo company required a radon test, but my house was new construction. The chance it would come up with high levels was pretty slim. The house hadn’t been sitting closed up long enough to probably register a reading.

I just googled it because a friend told me that granite counter tops have radon and I found out that it’s true.

@jca I don’t know if it’s radon, but I do know those natural materials are radioactive. Sometimes I worry about how much granite is in my house, I need a Geiger counter! Lol. I figure I don’t have marble floors so that’s good.

I think you would have to divulge the info the same as if the house may contain lead paint. There are areas that are more prone to radon gas permeation than others. Sealing the crawlspace with plastic sheathing could reduce the risk, if not prevent it. Basements are another matter.

@kritiper As I understand it, Radon gas particles are incredibly tiny and pass through almost all surfaces (it goes right through your concrete foundation slab). I don’t believe a plastic barrier would do much good at all (but I’m not an expert).

Radon seeps from the ground. It is a radioactive gas with no scent or color. Really it leaves no trace. You could check online for at risk areas, but really a test kit is the only way.

@gorillapaws the way to treat radon is a special plastic barrier. It’s a relatively simple fix

‘Radon’ has become the new ‘fiberglass’. My BBE (best boyfriend ever) did a specialist project regarding radon testing as a project in University. Radon is emitted from granite. Levels can vary depending on where the granite came from. @Judi has good advice. Put the onus on the seller to prove the house is under safe levels. Radon is everywhere. Always has been. The federal government lowered ‘safe acceptable levels’ and created an industry and loads of jobs.

If the land the house is on or where the ground water comes from is full of granite, there is a higher chance for increased levels of radon.

Talk to a qualified real estate lawyer and find out if there is local legislation in your area regarding radon and housing. I just bought a condo this past year and the seller had to include a ‘certificate of radon safety’ with the house’s official description. It is basically a letter from an qualified tester. These tests must also be provided for ANY building to be used for housing here in Norway, so landlords also have to check to make sure levels are under ‘safe’.

@Judi didn’t put the onus on the seller. The buyer pays an inspector and they can write the contract contingent on the inspection.

So, OK, @JLeslie, @Judi suggests that the sale of the house be contingent on the house passing a radon inspection. I suppose who pays for it becomes immaterial, because if the house doesn’t pass the test, the buyer isn’t going to buy or is going to offer a great deal less, due to the cost of converting the basement to dissipate the radon. If given the information, the real estate agent then has an obligation to inform any new potential buyer of the information. It comes down to the fact that the seller needs to ensure his house has safe levels.

The barrier @bestbroseph is talking about is put down during the construction of a new building. Retro fitting a building is different and can cost 5 to 10 times more. Here is a very good article I found. http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/all-about-radon

@flo: Different states have different laws governing real-estate disclosure issues. You should check with yours to see if the seller is required to disclose whether or not the seller is required to list that they have had radon issues in the past.

@cazzie Typically, the buyer pays for the inspection, but the seller would likely pay to fix it if it is a problem. You are correct that once the seller knows they have a problem they would have to disclose it, and the realtor is obligated to disclose also.

Depending how the contract is written the buyer once finding out can either break the deal, the seller fixes it, or the seller might cut back money to the buyer or reduce the selling price. Again, it depends how the contract is written. Some hold together better than others.

The seller doesn’t have to ensure it’s safe exactly, he has to ensure he discloses all known hazards and things that affect the property value. The property can change hands in a hazardous state if the buyer agrees, or even if the contract is written poorly. If the contract isn’t written in a way to protect the buyer they might still be able to get out, but lose the initial deposit in escrow.

Story if your interested: I sold a very very moldy house once. I won’t tell the whole story, I didn’t know at first and when discovered on inspection the first deal fell through. A second deal when it was already disclosed the buyer chickened out and lost her deposit (eventually she got her money back from the third buyer). A third buyer knew the house was moldy (it was on my listing information) and that deal went through. The seller didn’t fix anything, the deal was always to be an As Is contract. By the time the house sold It not only had mold, it had a big bees nest visible on the outside of the house and bees also flying inside. A hurricane came through during the time of the listing and made things worse than they had been.

I had to pay for an inspection in New Zealand. I also had an independent valuation done. It works quite a bit differently in Norway. The seller prepares a ‘prospectus’ for the property. I’ll see if I can find one online for you. It will be in Norwegian, but you’ll get the idea. The property is inspected and then certain rooms and aspects of the house are given a rating. A ‘one’ means it is in top condition. A two could mean it is just old or is worn a bit (like a crack in a tile in the bathroom) and a 3 is a bit of a cause for action (like a 20 year old water heater or a rotting deck). When you view a house or are interested in viewing a house, you download the prospectus and look through it. It should be a full review and disclosure of all aspects of the property as known to the inspector and the seller, including the results of the radon inspection.

I couldn’t find a link to one without having to register my interest in the property and I’m not going to do that…. so… I hope you get the idea. You can look here if you are more curious.
http://www.finn.no/finn/realestate/homes/object?finnkode=60697614&searchclickthrough=true

I’m sure there are local rules and @flo should find out who and how a radon inspection can be done if she rings any well qualified real estate agent in her area.

@cazzie In America a seller’s disclosure is filled out if the property is listed with a realtor. The realtor does it as part of all the documents related to the listing. Even if there is no realtor, if a lawyer got involved in the deal he would insist on one too. The disclosure asks very direct questions about leaks, flooding, mold, and also just basic information about type of roof, how old it is, type of heat, septic or sewer, etc.

Even without a seller’s disclosure document the law technically is to tell a buyer of any known problems that impact the value of the property. However, you can transfer title of your home without any sort of written seller’s disclosure.

In every state I have lived in a typical house inspection does not include mold cultures, radon testing, nor are they structural engineers. The inspector does look for signs of mold and unusual cracking along with everything else he observes and tests in the house. Radon has no signs unless tested for so it wouldn’t show up in a standard inspection.

@JLeslie , you can write anything into the contract. You could say that “the house needed to be cleared to radon below an acceptable level as determined by an industrial hygienist at the sellers expense” in the offer if you want to. It is up to the seller to determine if they want to incur that expense before accepting the offer.

@Judi Right. I agree. It’s all about what the contract says.

Thanks everyone. I’m not the one buying a house, so glad. Between the gases and the plants…Have you heard about:
https://www.gov.uk/prevent-the-spread-of-harmful-invasive-and-non-native-plants
I don’t know if that article has all the info but,
Night. .... Mare!