Radon Testing

If you’re buying a home in Minnesota, get it tested for radon.

Our radon testing services are designed for real estate transactions: we give a quick turnaround with 48-hour testing. We use continuous electronic monitors that give an hour-by-hour breakdown of the test results and our radon technicians are licensed in compliance with the State of Minnesota. If you’re interested in having your own home tested, your best option is to purchase a Do-It-Yourself test kit. We recommend long-term test kits for the most accurate results. We don’t sell them, but we know where you can get them for a good price: http://www.radon.com/sub/mn/

A FEW QUICK FACTS ABOUT RADON

Radon is a gas formed by the breakdown of uranium and radium, both of which are found in high levels in Minnesota.
Every home is susceptible to radon, even new construction.
There are a large number of homes in Minnesota with high radon levels. We’ve found that about one out of three houses has high levels of radon.
Radon is unpredictable. Two houses built right next to each other, at the same time, with the same construction methods, may have very different radon levels.

There are two main reasons to test for radon: lung cancer and money.

LUNG CANCER

Radon gas is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and the second leading cause of cancer in America. Radon testing is recommended by the EPA, the Surgeon General, the American Lung Association, and the Minnesota Department of Health. The area most at risk in a home is the lowest level that gets lived in.

MONEY

When we conduct a radon test and the test results come up high, the buyer typically asks the seller to pay for or install a radon mitigation system. These systems are extremely effective at lowering radon levels, and they’re not ridiculously expensive. If you buy a home and you decide not to test for radon as part of the home purchase, you can still test for radon after you own the home, but if a radon mitigation system needs to be installed, you won’t have the luxury of asking someone else to pay for it.

Picture this scenario: you buy a home, but don’t have it tested for radon. Several years down the road, you sell your house. The new buyers have a radon test performed, the radon test comes up high, so the buyers ask you to install or pay for a mitigation system. You’ll probably wonder why you never tested for radon when you bought the house. This happens a lot.

Objections to radon testing

WE HEAR MANY OBJECTIONS TO RADON TESTING – SOME ARE VALID, SOME AREN’T.

The home doesn’t have a basement.

Ok, that’s a good objection. We’ve found that most homes without basements have very low levels of radon. Basements with a walkout generally have lower levels, but we’ve still found our share of high radon tests at basements with walkouts.

It’s new construction.

Minnesota requires a passive radon mitigation system installed in every new house; this doesn’t mean radon will be eliminated, it just means the chances for elevated radon levels will be reduced.

The home already has a mitigation system.

If the system is working properly, the radon levels are probably very low. We’ve never found high radon levels in a home with a working mitigation system.

I’m buying a bank-owned property or short sale, so it doesn’t matter if the house has high radon levels.

The sellers won’t be paying to fix it, and I’ll still want the house either way. Fair enough. It’s still a good idea to get a do-it-yourself test after you own the house though.

I’m going to do my own test.

That’s fine, but it can’t be part of the real estate transaction.

Radon is a conspiracy of the government.

Oh boy. We’ve heard this before, and we’re not going to get into that discussion… but just for the sake of argument, let’s say radon is a conspiracy.Who cares? Even if radon was only a perceived health problem, it would still be a liability

More information on radon and radon testing

We’ve put together a ton of information about radon and radon testing in Minnesota. Click on any of the links below for more information.