We are going to discuss how to beat radon test. In the radon mitigation and testing business, we have encountered homeowners who aren’t content when they are faced with the possibility of having to install a radon mitigation system. However, it’s understandable that most people who sell their homes aren’t looking to spend money on home repairs, but radon gas isn’t a thing to play around with. The act of tampering with a radon testing device during a sale is fraud and could lead to lawsuits long after the property is sold. This article aims to provide you with the information you need to prevent an issue with radon before it is revealed during the sale of your home and how to “beat the Radon test” properly! We will be discussing how to beat radon test in this article in detail.
Background
Radon testing is now a standard part of actual home transactions in the past decade. This could be because of the increasing awareness about the risks of radon gas inside the house.
The gas radon is classified as a class A carcinogen, which can cause cancer in humans. More than 21,000 Americans die each year due to lung cancer resulting from exposure to radon gas at toxic amounts (according to EPA and the US Office of the Surgeon General).
“What is”radon?”
Radon is a gas found in soil resulting from the decay of uranium that occurs in the soil. After it is created, radon gas rises out of the soil and tries to evaporate into the atmosphere. If a house is blocking its pathway and the home is causing obstruction, radon gas may get trapped into foundation and floor gaps, sump crock, or the pores of a concrete slab or the walls. Once inside a house, there is no place for the gas to escape, so it can begin to rise to dangerous levels for breathing. However, the gas radon cannot be discerned by human eyes since it’s a noble gas, which means it is possible that you won’t be aware that it exists within your home until it’s way too far. Testing for radon is the sole method to determine whether your home is affected by radon issues.
Charcoal Radon Test Kits. Continuous Digital Radon Monitors
Charcoal Test Kits
Since we are discussing how to beat radon test, the most popular type of radon test available is the at-home charcoal test kit for radon. The charcoal kits absorb the radon particles inside an alumina-based charcoal packet for a specified time (2-5 weeks). After the charcoal packet has been exposed for the prescribed amount of time, it’s sealed and sent to a lab to be analyzed. Although these kits are cheap and plentiful for homeowners who want to know their radon levels, they shouldn’t be used in real estate transactions as they are easily altered. There’s nothing in the carbon radon testing kit which could stop someone from moving it towards the outside of the house or an upper floor of the house to alter the results. In addition, the charcoal test kits cannot determine if windows are closed or if there are significant pressure fluctuations within the home during the testing.
Continuous Digital Radon Monitors
The most popular radon testing option for realtors and purchasers is the constant radon monitor. Professionally designed digital radon test equipment is the most efficient and precise method to test for the presence of radon. Here at Lifetime Radon, we utilize the AirThings Corentium Pro testing monitor calibrated annually to ensure pinpoint accuracy. The Corentium Pro and most other professional radon measurement instruments are equipped with sensors that detect any tampering or changes in pressure during the course testing. That means that if the device moves in any way or the windows are open during the testing process, the report will reveal it, and the test must be repeated. Always inquire with your radon testing company whether the device was calibrated and the type of report you’ll get after the reported results.
How to beat the Radon Test in the Correct Method
Fortunately, the harmful amounts of radon in homes can be reduced. If you’re planning to sell your house soon and are worried about passing a radon test, you should conduct a home radon testing kit to determine the levels that could be detected in an inspection. If these levels indicate higher than 4.0pCi/L, you should take action before listing the property. Installing a Radon mitigation device is the sole proven method of reducing the amount of radon in a building for as long as. Radon mitigation systems draw air from beneath the structure to generate pressure, stopping rising gases from accumulating beneath the slab and redirecting them to a safe space away from the house to be released into the air. Radon mitigation systems will lower your radon levels below 4.0pCi/L and often even lower than 1.0pCi/L. Certain websites declare open windows are an excellent method to lower radon levels before and during a test. In addition to the fact that one could be guilty of fraud when they open windows during a real estate transaction, the radon test, opening the windows could also alter the results further in some instances. Also, keeping windows closed all the time to let radiation out isn’t a sustainable option. One of our prior blog articles, “Will the opening of My Windows Lower My Radon levels? ” We go over three primary reasons this is not a good solution for radon issues within the home.
What you can do as a home buyer
If you’re worried that a scammer or agent may attempt to interfere with the radon testing on the house you’re purchasing, don’t be concerned! There are solutions to stop fraudulent radon testing. Always request that an accredited radon testing firm conduct the test while selling your home. In addition, you should inquire whether the equipment used to test was calibrated recently to ensure maximum accuracy. The majority of professional equipment will offer a comprehensive report on changes in pressure and levels of radon hour by hour. You must request the complete report once the report is completed. If the radon levels are lower than they were on your initial assessment, you must conduct a second test on your own after having moved in to ensure that there is no change. Radon levels fluctuate throughout the year, and the second test could be different from the one before, but it will not be a considerable distinction.
Conclusion
The practice of cheating on a radon test by opening the windows or hiding the test in bags, or taking the test outside is not a wise decision. You could be detected quickly (mainly when a digital test is being conducted), and you could risk the lives of future homeowners who will be unaware of the dangers of levels of radon for a much longer time to come. If the homeowners who follow you are diagnosed with lung cancer and then later conduct additional tests for radon that show that their radon levels are significantly higher than the test results you gave during the sale of your home, it could lead to legal problems. Tests before listing your property and installing a radon mitigation system, if required, will increase its value and protect your property and save you the hassle of having to install the system before the closing.
