Got into a discussion with my next door neighbor regarding the selling of his home. The buyers requested that a radon test be done on the house and he was wondering if there are any secrets to passing the test. I heard that you don't want to test for radon when there is rain in the forecast due to atmospheric pressure affecting the results. Also you should seal up the sump pump holes with caulk, also caulking where the concrete floor meets the basement walls. Radon can filter into the basement from these areas. Any other suggestions to offer?
Well the best secret is as follows: since the radon test kit usuallyt needs to be left in your cellar for a few days, you can always move it outside in the fresh air for most of the time and then bring it back in to where it is supposed to be before the inspector picks it up [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
...but that wouldn't be too honest I guess.... [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
Trying to get the neighbor to move? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] No radon found here, you can go.
Or do you want to keep him there? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Whoops! RADON found, can't sell.
In either case, if the radon is high (and one believe's any of the hype built up about radon) you will have a new neighbor or the old neighbor being "radon'd". I personally think it is a bunch of nonsense for the idle thinkers who need a real job. But to those "controllers" of others, it is their "control" and they mean to "do their job" of taking care of us. Am I just a bit cynical, or what? [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]
EJB, I don't know what type of tester is being used for the radon. I know some of them (I believe) have an indicator if they have been moved, that is what I had heard. [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] The other type is two metal canisters that have to stay out for a couple of days, looks like a sterno can.
Beenthere, from some of the houses that have sold in the neighborhood over the years I've heard one will pass and the next house will fail. Somebody must be cheating somewhere, maybe?????? [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]
What happens when they "fail" the test? Is there a "fix", or just a cancel of the sale, and move on to the next potential buyer? Does the local "govt" put a tag on the house and "quarantine" it? Never hear of it being tested here in the MidWest (not that it couldn't be, and I wouldn't know it).
What happens when they "fail" the test? Is there a "fix", or just a cancel of the sale, and move on to the next potential buyer? Does the local "govt" put a tag on the house and "quarantine" it?
Beenthere, Normally the contract is still good as long as the buyer and seller agree who pays to fix the radon problem. In the case of my neighbor he agreed to pay up to $800 for the fix. I guess anything over that is the buyers responsibility (?). If the house should fail the test they have to put an "exhaust fan" over the sump pump pit, sealed tight and then vented to the outside. This usually costs from $800 to $1600 depending on how bad the radon is. My neighbors level came in at 5. Anything above 4 fails. Since he already had the rough in for a passive radon system his cost was only (only $500 [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] )I understand some houses go into the 50's. No the "govt" does not tag the house, not yet at least. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]
My brother in PA lives in a house that tested bad for radon. To resolve the issue he has a sump in the concrete with a fan to a pvc pipe that goes outside. From what he has told me Radon gas is mostly found in rocky/mountainous areas. It is a heavy gas that will pool in this sump and the fan comes on every so many hours to get the gas out. The inspector that he talked with said that if you have a walk out basement you used your basement door daily you would pass without a problem.
In my area the local realtors have a list of houses that have failed radon tests.
Also, when we bought my house as part of the offer agreement the owners needed to leave the house for 48 hours for testing. Our realtor said this is not unheard of. The doors and windows were tagged to verify there wasn't any entry.
Our agreement listed this as a deal killer if they came back with anything above a 2.
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