What do you know about Radon?

Radon is an issue we talk about every day in real estate. It is a pretty typical test to get when buying a home with a basement, and rarely are elevated levels found here inside the beltway. Radon is a naturally occurring carcinogen found in the ground and it is in pockets throughout the country. It is possible for one house to have it and the next to not. Recent real estate transactions in Arlington and Falls Church have been showing elevated levels of radon, however. I've heard it is due to the earthquake last summer, but can't confirm it.

I do know that you should take it seriously and test every couple of years for it as it can come and go. It can also test high in the winter and low in the summer. The EPA recommends that any home that tests at 4picoCuries per Liter (4 pCi/L) or above be remediated. The World Health Organization recommends remediation at/above 2.7 pCi/L.

Recently, I had a buyer under contract on a house that tested at 11.8 - that's quite high for this area. The sellers had it retested and it came in at 4.6. My buyer, after researching radon's negative health effects, decided she wanted it to be below 2. Fortunately, remediation worked and it came in at an average of 1.9.

Most homes can be remediated to be under 2, according to the Radon Abatement specialist who did the work. Radon is easy to test for an relatively inexpensive to fix ($800-1500 or so depending on how your house is built).

Homes with sump pumps are cheaper and easier to remediate because the radon pipe system can tap into the sump pump.

Homes built on dirt can be more difficult and more expensive to remediate because the radon is not buffered by anything.

I am by no means a radon expert, and everything in this blog I learned from research online and by talking to radon remediation contractors. If you have a home with a basement in N. Arlington, I recommend you get you home tested every two years for radon. Contact me if you'd like a recommendation on a testing or remediation company. My personal home tested at 3.9 so I got a system installed recently and would be happy to share my experience.

See this video from the EPA for more on radon's risks.