Most people know that smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in the country. It’s why so many of them steer clear of smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke at all costs.
But what people don’t always realize is that the second-leading cause of lung cancer could be right inside their homes without them even knowing it. A gas called radon causes more than 20,000 lung cancer-related deaths each year.
If you’re thinking about buying a home in Orlando, Florida right now, performing a radon test beforehand should be a no-brainer. The last thing you want to do is move into a house with elevated radon levels and be exposed to it for years to come. The other reason you may need to perform a radon test is if the state of Florida requires it.
Here is how to find out if radon is an issue in a new home you’re considering.
Begin by Learning About the Dangers of Radon
Before you begin trying to figure out whether or not radon is an issue in a new Florida home you’re considering, make sure you learn as much as you can about it.
For those not familiar with radon, it’s a gas that’s odorless and tasteless and pretty much impossible to detect without performing an official radon check. It’s also a gas that can lead to serious health complications if you spend too much time breathing it in.
Just how dangerous is radon? Dangerous enough that the American Cancer Society has repeatedly tried to warn homeowners about the connection between radon and cancer.
This should illustrate how important radon testing is for those thinking about purchasing a new home.
Schedule Radon Testing for the Home You’re Thinking About Buying
When you’re in the process of buying a new home, one of the things you should do is have a home inspection done on it. During a home inspection, a home inspector will look at a home from top to bottom and alert you to any potential problems in it.
As part of your home inspection, you can also opt to have a radon inspection done. A radon test kit will be used to measure the radon levels in a home during this type of inspection.
Hire a home inspector that knows how to detect radon if you’re going to schedule these services. They should have extensive experience when it comes to radon testing.
Consider Your Options If the Home Has High Levels of Radon in It
There is a chance that a home inspection company will come back to you following a radon check and tell you that there are, in fact, elevated radon levels in a home you’re considering buying. Think about all your options before deciding what to do next.
If you don’t feel comfortable buying a home with radon in it, you can always back out of the deal. But you can also ask the seller of the home to pay to have a radon mitigation system installed in the home. These systems can be used to lower radon levels in a home in a hurry.
Don’t Pass Up on the Chance to Have a Radon Check Done on a Home
Some homebuyers decide against having a radon inspection performed on a house they’re going to be buying. As a result, they never know whether or not their home has radon in it.
Don’t make this mistake. Set up a radon test in a home before buying it so that you have the peace of mind that comes along with knowing a home doesn’t have radon in it before moving in.
If the state of Florida has required your building to have radon testing, we also can help! We carry a radon business license, have multiple radon technicians on staff and also have a NRPP certification. HUD housing mandates certain testing to be performed and we are qualified for these projects as well.
Contact us today to schedule a radon check in a home that you’re considering right now.
