Are You Buying a Home?
These Are the Radon Mitigation Steps to Take Before Signing
Did you know that the Colorado Senate Bill 23-206 requires home sellers to disclose whether or not their home has been tested for radon and any known concentrations of radon? If the home you’re buying hasn’t been tested, request professional testing before closing on the property.
If you are purchasing a home, ask for the following information before signing the purchase agreement:
- A radon test disclosure form with records and a description of any radon concentrations and the steps the seller took to mitigate.
- A Radon Warning Statement outlining the health risks of radon.
- A Radon in Real Estate brochure by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)
Contact us today for a free mitigation estimate to keep radon out of your family’s home.
Why You Shouldn’t Ask the Seller to Install Your Radon Mitigation System
If the home has been tested and radon levels are high, you (the buyer) have two options:
- Ask for a reduction in the price of the home to cover the cost of installing a radon mitigation system. Most buyers prefer this option, as it puts them in complete control of the radon mitigation company they hire and the quality of the system that gets designed and installed. American Radon Mitigation aims to reduce your home’s radon levels as low as possible, often below 1 pCi/L.
- Have the seller install the mitigation system, allowing them to choose the contractor to install the radon mitigation system. American Radon Mitigation does not recommend this option. If you choose this route, ensure you pick the radon contractor, not the seller. In our experience, most sellers are primarily concerned with finding the cheapest option, not the one that’s best for your family’s health and safety.
A Warning for All Homebuyers
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment strongly recommends that ALL homebuyers have an indoor radon test performed before purchasing or taking occupancy and recommends having the radon levels mitigated if elevated radon concentrations are found.
A qualified, certified, licensed radon mitigator can easily reduce elevated radon concentrations. Every residential homebuyer should be notified that the property may present exposure to dangerous levels of indoor radon gas that may place the occupants at risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer.
Radon—a Class A human carcinogen—is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause overall. The seller of any interest in residential property is REQUIRED to provide the buyer with any information on the radon test results of the dwelling.
Where to Find More Information
Contact your real estate agent or attorney for more information on the Colorado Senate Bill 23-206 and how it affects home-buying.
To learn more about radon’s role in real estate, take a look at:
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment – Radon and Real Estate
- Radon Testing for Realtors and Inspectors
American Radon Mitigation’s owner, Jesse Green, was a guest on Structure Talk to discuss the difference between a radon system and an American Radon Mitigation System and how it works.
