There are many problem areas that must be inspected in a resale home before the home sale closes.
Austin, TX Realtor® Joe Cline says one of the most important is for a deadly gas that is hard to detect.
“Radon is a gas that has no color or odor. It is naturally formed within the Earth’s crust as uranium breaks down. As it oozes to the surface, it can go through foundations and sub floors to enter into homes and buildings. Unfortunately, most people don’t even know that it is there until radon testing is conducted. However, once this radon is inside of your home it gets trapped and causes the radon level to rise significantly and thus cause some significant health issues. It can actually increase your risk for lung cancer and it has even been linked to numerous cancer related deaths.
Whenever you are purchasing a new home, you really should get a radon test before closing the sale. If radon testing reveals that there is an unacceptable level of radon found within your home, it is a good idea to initiate radon remediation methods. By doing so you will be able to rest assured that this gas will not accumulate within your home again. Of course, you can also use this as an argument to lower the home’s price or have the seller pay for the necessary radon remediation procedure. On the other hand, if you are selling your home and would like to get a good price for it, you should consider getting radon testing and doing any necessary remediation procedures before placing your home on the market. Either way, radon testing and remediation should be a part of a real estate sale.
Radon remediation (also known as radon mitigation or radon reduction) is a process whereby a structure’s radon levels are reduced. Contractors that specialize in radon removal can be hired to perform this procedure for you. Your other option is to install a radon reduction system by yourself. Ultimately, the best choice depends upon the levels of radon within your home and how skilled you are in do it yourself projects. Regardless of how you choose to install radon remediation within your home, you can expect to pay between $500 and $2,500. The cost will depend upon the size and design of your home and whether you are just sealing up cracks and holes or installing an actual ventilation system that will push the radon out of the air. The most common method is to use a sub-slab depressurization system that is dependent upon a fan and a network of piping that installed in your roofline. Once such a system is installed, you will only have to do a minimal amount of maintenance.
Usually radon accumulates in basements in areas where more uranium is located. However, by utilizing one of the radon remediation measures that is listed above it is possible to avoid this gas all together. Of course, this will depend upon such factors as the building’s structure, which is why you should opt to have a contractor do this work for you. In the end you will then be sure to get the best possible results from the work that has been done.”
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blog posts by Joe Cline.
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