How Does Radon Affect Real Estate?
Even if you’ve worked with a Grand Rapid real estate agent in the past to buy or sell a home, chances are the topic of radon never came up. In our market, we noticed several years ago that buyers who were relocating from other areas started to ask for inspections, and within the past few years the topic of radon has become commonplace in real estate transactions.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas resulting from the decay of uranium. Radon exists naturally in our environment at a low level, but when it enters a home through the soil or groundwater, the elevated level of radon affects indoor air quality. The main problem with elevated levels of radon is that long term exposure is associated with elevated cancer risk. In fact, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and second leading cause of lung cancer for the general population.
Many buyers nowadays will request a radon inspection as a contingency when purchasing a home. In our area, about half of all homes register an elevated level of radon (above 4 pCi/L), and experts say that two homes side by side can have completely different levels of radon. If you’re going to be selling a home, you can easily obtain a test kit online or from the Kent County Health Department, which could provide both you and your buyer peace of mind. Radon levels do vary depending on the time of year and other factors, and tend to be at their highest mid-winter, which is why January is Radon Action Month.
If you find out that a home does have a radon issue, with levels greater than 4 pCi/L, there are a few options to remediate. In most cases around the Grand Rapids area, a radon mitigation system should be installed, which involves a vent pipe and fan to prevent radon from entering the home from below the cement floor or outside the foundation. Although radon specialists are not specifically licensed by any state agency in Michigan, the Michigan DEQ maintains a list of specialists, and both the Michigan DEQ and the EPA are both excellent resources for more information.
More than likely, the topic of radon will come up in your next real estate transaction. Armed with a few facts, you can take some of the guesswork out of how to deal with a home with elevated radon levels. If you have further questions during your transaction, trust the professionals at The Sprich Group to help guide you through the transaction.
Photo: Osman Parvez ( some rights reserved )
