Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon

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Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon
In This Book

1. Why Should I Test for Radon?
1. Radon Has Been Found in Homes All Over the United States
2. EPA and the Surgeon General Recommend That You Test Your Home

2. I'm Selling a Home. What Should I Do?
1. If Your Home Has Already Been Tested for Radon
2. If Your Home Has Not Yet Been Tested for Radon

3. I'm Buying a Home. What Should I Do?
1. If the Home Has Already Been Tested for Radon
2. If the Home Has Not Yet Been Tested for Radon

4. I'm Buying or Building a New Home. How Can I Protect My Family?
1. Why Should I Buy a Radon-Resistant Home?
2. What Are Radon-Resistant Features?

5. How Can I Get Reliable Radon Test Results?
1. Types of Radon Devices
2. General Information for All Devices
3. Preventing or Detecting Test Interference
4. Length of Time to Test
5. Doing a Short-Term Test
6. Using Testing Devices Properly for Reliable Results
7. Interpreting Radon Test Results
Radon and Smoking
Radon Testing Checklist
6. What Should I Do If the Radon Level is High?
1. High Radon Levels Can Be Reduced
2. How to Lower the Radon Level in Your Home
3. Selecting a Radon-Reduction (Mitigation) Contractor
4. What Can a Qualified Radon-Reduction Contractor Do for You
5. Radon in Water

7. Radon Myths and Facts

8. Need More Information About Radon?
1. Websites (EPA)
2. Radon Hotlines (Toll-Free)
3. Printed Documents

9. State Radon Offices

10. EPA Regional Offices



EPA Recommends

* If you are buying a home or selling your home, have it tested for radon.
* For a new home, ask if radon-resistant construction features were used and if the home has been tested.
* Fix the home if the radon level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
* Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases, may be reduced.
* Take steps to prevent device interference when conducting a radon test.

EPA estimates that radon causes thousands of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.
radon health risks
* Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to EPA's 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2005-2006 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2006 National Safety Council Reports.
Overview

This Guide answers important questions about radon and lung cancer risk. It also answers questions about testing and fixing for anyone buying or selling a home.

Radon Is a Cancer-Causing, Radioactive Gas

You cannot see, smell, or taste radon. But it still may be a problem in your home. When you breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

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