There are several sensible questions our customers ask when considering the purchase a home with a radon mitigation system. Here’s the top four:

•• Is a mitigation system actually effective at keeping the radon level low? - Yes, it is. Radon mitigation is fairly simple technology and there’s not a lot that can go wrong. A fan in the suction pipe, like the one shown above on the exterior wall of a home, creates suction that pulls the gases rising out of the ground under the home to it and exhausts them above the house. It will continue to do the job as long as the fan is running, and radon systems are required to have a warning device to alert you to a fan failure. To read more about it, see our blog posts Do I need a radon test for a house with a radon mitigation system? and Do radon mitigation systems require maintenance? The EPA recommends retesting the indoor air every two years, which can do done with a home test kit available at most hardware and home improvement stores. 

•• Will it increase the value of my home? - No. Selling a home that is known to have a high radon level will decrease the value of a home and is required to be disclosed, but having a mitigation system will not make it worth more to most homebuyers.

•• Will a radon mitigation system scare off buyers when I am ready to sell the home? - Some homebuyers will consider it a plus, others won’t care, and a few “scientifically challenged” buyers will think they should look for a house without radon—not understanding that all homes have some amount of radon in the air, and the ones with a radon system are sure to have a low level. To learn more about normal radon levels, see our blog post What is the average radon level of indoor and outdoor air in America?

•• What does it cost to run it? - The size of the system will affect the operating expense, but an average cost is about $16 per month. Go to our blog post What is the operating cost of a radon mitigation system for more details.

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Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about “RADON":

• Is a radon mitigation fan required to be on a dedicated circuit breaker/fuse in the electric panel?

• What happens to a radon test result if the windows were opened, the test device moved, or there was any other evidence of tampering during the test? 

• Where do I find the Florida laws regarding radon?

• Can I test vacant land for radon before building a house? 

• Is radon mitigation possible for a condominium?

• What is the average life expectancy of a radon mitigation system?  

• Do older houses have higher radon levels than new houses? 

• Can the seller tamper with a homebuyer's radon test to change the results?

• How long does it take to get the results of a radon test? 

• Will opening the windows reduce the radon level in a house?

• How was it determined that between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year are caused by radon?

• Can a homebuyer do their own radon test for a real estate transaction with a self-test kit?

• What is the danger of radon in well water?

• What are the symptoms of radon poisoning? 

• Does Florida have radon?

• Where does radon come from? 

• For how many years does an old radon test result remain valid?

• Should homeowners get a pre-listing radon test before selling their home?

• What are a homebuyer's options when the radon test comes back high (4.0 pico-curies/liter or more)? 

• Do granite countertops emit radon?

• How can I tell if a house has a radon mitigation system? 

• Can a mobile/manufactured home have a high radon problem?

• Do I need to test for radon when buying a condominium? 

• What does a radon mitigation contractor do to lower the radon level in a home?

• How can not testing for radon be an expensive mistake for homebuyers? 

• Will the radon test come back sky-high in a house that has been empty and closed-up for months? 

• What is radon? Should I be concerned about it?

• Should I buy a house with a high radon level? 

• Does the buyer or seller of a home pay for radon mitigation when the radon test comes back high? 

• What is the probability of having high radon in a Florida house?

• How quickly do I need to reduce a high radon level in my house? 

• Does a home inspector check for radon?

• What are the problems with underground return air ducts? 

• What is the probability of having high radon in a Florida house?

• What factors can change radon test levels up or down?

    Visit our RADON page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.