Should you buy a Michigan home with a high radon reading?

I thought I would address whether you should you buy a Michigan home with a high radon reading?  That is a question that I hear quite often from my buyers here in SE Michigan.  Radon is sometimes quite common.  1 in 8 homes nationwide have radon.  What is different about radon gas is that sometimes one area has it and other areas are radon free.  Even from one house to another in a subdivision it may change.  So it always pays to have your home checked.  So here is information about radon and it’s effects.

Did you know that January is Radon Action month?.  If you have a basement in the Metro Detroit home you are buying and you should be concerned about exposure to cancer causing gas.    It does not matter whether it is a home for sale in Royal Oak or a lake home in Waterford  I would recommend to do a radon test when you buy a home.  Quite a few homes do not even have basements as they were built on slabs or crawl spaces.  That is one part that I do not know about.  I don’t know if you should get a radon test for a house without a basement?  It is a question you should ask your home inspector when scheduling a home inspection.

The knowledge of radon and the link to cancer has become more publicly know in the last few years.  For years nobody understood the dangers of radon.  I myself believe part of the rise in the number of cancer patients is due to radon.  We didn’t know anything about it in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s, 1980’s.  Here in Michigan we started building basements as usable space for kids to play and to have family gatherings without realizing the dangers of radon.  So some people were exposed to radon gas and never knew it.  Simple because of the trend of building usable basement space.

I recently had a client that moved from Chicago.  They lived in a million dollar home.  The wife told me that the new home owners did a radon test and it was very high.  My client felt really bad because their kids played in the basement their whole life and were exposed to the radon gas.  That is why it is so important to have it checked.  The welfare of you and your family may be at stake.

Did you know that one in eight homes in the US have radon gas in them?  Could your home have it?  The only way to know is to have it tested.  Of course there is a greater chance that you do not, but is it worth the chance?  There are home test kits sold on line or at stores like Lowes, Menards, and Home Depot.  I would spend the money to have it checked out.

Here is a quick question and answer section about radon.

Just what exactly is Radon? Radon is an odorless and colorless gas produced by decaying uranium in soil, rock and groundwater. Radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths each year and the U.S. Surgeon General and leading health organizations recommend that all homes be tested. How would radon gas get into a home? Radon gets into the indoor air through various means, including cracks in the foundation, basement floors or concrete slabs and openings around floor drains and sump pumps. Sump pumps are one of the major ways it enters Michigan lake homes.  Radon levels can change considerably from home to home in the same neighborhood and can even vary over time. How can I tell if my Michigan Lake home has radon? A simple and inexpensive radon test can be performed by a home inspector to determine if you have an elevated radon level in your home and if a relatively simple mitigation procedure is in order. What can I do if I have radon in my lake house? If high levels of radon are confirmed, they should be reduced. Often this can be done with simple, inexpensive techniques, like sealing cracks and venting. In some cases, mitigation may be more extensive. You should contact a qualified radon mitigation company to find the best solution for your situation

If you are buying a home in Michigan it is wise to have it tested.  Then at least the seller will pay for the mitigation system.  Radon Mitigation systems are relatively cheap to put in.  They range from $800 to $1500 to install.  It is well worth the price to protect your family from radon gas.  I hope this explains radon gas and why you should test and take care of it.  It is really a pipe with a fan on it to pull the gas out of your home.

Bottom line is would I or should you buy a home that has radon gas in it?  Yes it is safe to buy a home with a high radon gas reading if the seller or you put in a radon mitigation system.  The mitigation system will reduce the levels of radon gas to a safe level.  If you have questions about buying a home here in metro Detroit give me a call or text at (248) 310-6239.  I can help point out some of the issues you may run into when buying a home and advise you whether you should pass on the house.  My goal is to help you find you a good home not a money pit.

Radon is in lake home too.  So whether you are buying a Bogie Lake waterfront property in White Lake Michigan or any home in Oakland County you want to have it inspected and tested for Radon.   Buying a home can be confusing, but I believe a knowledgeable buyer is better prepared to make smart decisions because they know what to do.  Here are some more Home Buyer tips – West Bloomfield houses for sale.  If you have never been to Michigan but just found out you have a job transfer to SE Michigan you may want to learn about the best cities and where to move to.  Here is some information on relocating to Michigan – Moving to Livonia

If you are not buying but selling your Metro Detroit home things may have changes since you last sold.  Here are some ways to negotiate when the buyer finds things wrong with your home.  Negotiating the home inspection – Home selling tips

I have lots of home buyer and home seller tips on this website.  So feel free to click on the links on the side page to learn more about real estate, home buying or home selling.