If you are in the market for a new or previously owned home, there are some things you need to know about home inspection in Chicago before you make a decision. Radon is many homes. Why is it important for you to know if radon is in your current or future home? According to the Surgeon General, the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States is radon. Smoking is the number one cause of cancer in the United States. Radon is a tasteless, odorless, and colorless radioactive gas. The only way to find out if you have radon in your home is to test for it. Radon can be found in any home, regardless of its building materials, foundation type, air tightness, or heating system. An estimated 21,000 Americans die from lung cancer each year caused by radon.
Although no level of exposure to radon is safe, the EPA recommends that homes with long-term occupants should have a radon level that is below 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or lower. A pCi is a measure of the rate of radioactive decay of radon. Practically one out of every 15 homes has a radon level of 4 pCi/L or higher. The majority of Americans spend their time indoors. Radon enters homes from rock underneath the home or the soil. Some of the ways radon gets into homes are openings around sump pumps and drains, from cracks in floors and walls, and crawl spaces that open directly into the building. The risk is really high for homes under the third floor of a multi-family building. If you think or know you have been exposed to radon, you should inform your physician. Based off of the conversation between you and your physician, your physician will decide whether or not you need to have a chest x-ray.
The EPA suggests that testing be done in the lowest level of the home. If you buy a do-it-yourself kit, avoid testing in a laundry rooms, hallways, bathrooms, or kitchens. The conditions and humidity in these areas may cause inaccurate results from some test devices. On average, it cost $800 to $2500 to make a previously owned home radon-resistant. However, it is cheaper for a new home. It cost $350 to $500 to make a new home radon-resistant. Contact your Realtor’s radon testing inspector for information about Home Inspection in Chicago.
