RADON DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A PROBLEM
A Resource for Real Estate Professionals
and Homeowners
 

 

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Arizona
Point of Sale Booklet

 

Answers to Real Estate Questions

    Seller's Perspective

  1. Is a radon test required?
    It is not a requirement of law that all homes be tested.  When buying a home, people  often have radon levels measured as part of the home inspection process to protect family health and simplify future resale.
     

  2. What if I refuse?
    That is between you and your listing agent.  No Arizona law requires radon testing.
     

  3. Am I obliged to fix it?
    T    here is no Arizona law that requires a seller to reduce indoor radon.  If radon tests reveal elevated levels, any decision to mitigate is usually a result of  negotiations between the buyer and seller.
     

  4. Why was the house closed up for the test?
    The testing procedure recommended helps measure the radon potential of the home.  To save time, a short-term test of minimum duration (48 hours) is usually conducted.  The proper location for the test is in the lowest livable portion of the home.  If there is an unfinished basement that may be occupied later, it would be the proper location for the test device.  The test should be done with the doors and windows closed in order to determine the "worst case" potential.
    Want to know more?

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   Buyer's Perspective

  1. Seller's Agent said the house was safe.
    What were the actual radon readings?  The US EPA recommends that homes at or above 4 pCi/L or .02 WL be mitigated, if tested using EPA guidance.  You may need to obtain a copy of the test report to determine the estimated health risk.  Reducing radon in a home that contains radon below 4.0 pCi/L may be difficult or impractical, although there is still some risk associated with concentrations below that recommended "action level."
     

  2. Can areas of town be safe from radon?
    Radon is quite variable from house to house, even in the same subdivision.  The only way to know the level of radon in a house to test it.
     

  3. Is the radon issue blown out of proportion?
    The US Surgeon General and the EPA have identified radon as a Type A human carcinogen.  After you have tested a home, you can use research-based information on health risk to make an informed decision about whether to purchase or mitigate a property.
    Want to know more?
    Want to download the Point of Sale Brochure?
     

  4. Is radon a problem in Arizona?
         Surveys have shown that roughly one out of fourteen homes in  Arizona may have radon concentrations at or above the recommended action level of 4.0 pCi/L.  That is similar to the national average.  The incidence of radon is quite variablefrom one area to another, and even from home to home.  The only way to know is to test.
    Want to know more?
     

  5. What areas have radon problems?
    Although there are maps that portray areas of higher potential, they are not precise enough to indicate whether an individual home will have radon above recommended levels.
     

  6. Is a radon test conducted automatically?
    There is no state or local law in Arizona that requires radon testing at the time of resale.  However, the EPA and the US Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested; and a radon test can be easily done as part of a home inspection process.
     

  7. What if the seller refuses to conduct a test?
    You should discuss this with your agent.  Radon testing is not mandatory in Arizona.
     

  8. What if I find radon after I move in?
    All homes contain some amount of radon.      Radon levels can be reliably reduced to less than 4.0 pCi/L.  Effective and durable systems have been developed for reducing radon.
     

  9. Can radon be fixed?
    Yes.  There are trained contractors who can install mitigation systems.  If you talk to one of these contractors you should request  a written proposal that includes guarantees  resulting concentrations will be less than 4.0 pCi/L.
    Want to know more?
     

  10. We found a house we love, but it has radon, what do we do?
    Proven techniques exist for reducing radon levels in homes to below 4.0 pCi/L.  If you decide to buy the house, you can ask that the seller fix it before you move in, or you can move in with assurance that radon levels can be reduced afterward.
     

  11. What should be included in the contract?
    Be specific about  an acceptable radon level.   It is also a good idea to say who will be doing the radon test and who will pay for it.  If elevated radon levels are found, will mitigation be acceptable?  Who will pay for the repairs?  If  mitigation is necessary, who will perform the work and who will determine whether the mitigation was successful?
    Want to know more?

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