13 Mar Buying and Selling a Home with High Radon Levels
One common question we get at American Radon, LLC. is what to do when buying or selling a home with high radon levels. Radon is everywhere, regardless of where you live. But in Colorado, certain areas are known to be particularly high in radon – so high that it is dangerous to your health if exposed to these areas for long periods of time. However, radon mitigation equipment can solve this problem eliminating negative health side effects.
So what should I do when I go to buy or sell a home in Colorado?
Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
We’ll go over what to do when putting your home on the market and shopping around for a new home in Colorado. The home buying process doesn’t have to be scary or stressful if you follow our simple advice.
Can I sell my home that has high radon levels?
The first thing you need to do is have your home tested for dangerous levels of radon. Even if your home has been tested for safe radon levels in the past it’s a good idea to have your home tested every year – or at least every two years.
Why do we recommend frequent radon testing?
Not only does testing assure that your home is safe to live in, but it proves to future potential buyers that your home doesn’t have high radon levels – and hasn’t for X number of years. Current tests result also confirm that your home is below the EPA recommended level for action; therefore if you do not have a radon system installed you have the test results to explain why.
So – can you sell your home that has tested high for radon?
Absolutely. Currently, there are no laws in Colorado forcing homes on the market to be mitigated, but that could change soon. You’ll just be better off handling the situation before putting your home on the market. If you’ve tested high for radon in your home, then contact your local radon mitigation specialist and schedule an estimate for mitigation.
Once the radon mitigation system has been installed you will have the post-mitigation test to prove the home is safe. This can be a huge weight off the potential buyer’s back and can help the sale of your home go smoothly.
Should I buy a house that has high radon levels?
Yes – of course. The question is whether or not you want to pay for the appropriate radon mitigation installation yourself. Talk to your realtor about getting the previous owner to pay for the radon reduction equipment, and get it installed prior to moving into the home.
Or you can have the money for the mitigation system in Escrow which will then be directly paid to the installer when you are ready to schedule the work, whether that be before or after your move in.
Remember – radon is everywhere. A home with high radon levels is still a viable option, as long as proper radon mitigation equipment is put in place and the post-mitigation test results show that the home is at safe levels. American Radon, LLC. is your trusted radon removal contractor for all of Colorado including radon removal in Fort Collins, radon removal in Colorado Springs, and radon removal in Aurora.
What can I do about dangerous radon levels?
Here are the straight facts about buying or selling a home with dangerously high radon levels.
You should only buy a home in Colorado that has been recently radon tested.
Better safe than sorry, right? Know what future costs you’re up against by asking that the seller provide radon testing results before signing the deal.
You should fix your radon problem before putting your home on the market.
Having the radon mitigation system already installed before listing alleviates one extra obstacle when selling your home. In fact, having a working system with low results during the inspection process can sometimes even be a selling point. With the Colorado market as competitive as it is, this can give you a leg up by eliminating another project for a potential buyer. The straight truth is that your home will be more likely to sell if you’ve already taken care of any radon issues. It makes the buyer more comfortable and spares him or her from expenses after buying.
Test and test again.
Even after you’ve made sure that your home has the proper mitigation equipment, you should re-test every two years to ensure that everything is in proper working order. Trust us – you’ll be grateful for the peace of mind it gives you, and you’ll have current test records in case you find yourself selling your home.
American Radon is your locally owned and operated professional provider of radon mitigation in Lakewood and the rest of Colorado!
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