Purchasing a home requires a lot of testing and inspections. This is especially true if you are getting a mortgage to fund your home. The mortgage company wants to ensure that they are making a good investment. They want to make sure that they are providing you with a loan for a piece of property that is functional and safe. They are more likely to lose out on the repayment if the home that you purchase ends up not being livable. This is why many mortgage companies require inspections of the house. Are these inspections enough for the health and safety of you and your family members?
Most new homeowners consider that the inspection done by the mortgage company is enough. They may even have a secondary inspection done for their own knowledge of what they are purchasing. Most inspections provide the homeowners with extensive information into the quality and condition of each part of their home. Surely you are completely covered with two house inspection reports, right? This is not always the situation.
Depending on the specific state of property, some states do not require every necessary test. This means that your house inspection may only include things like foundation, roof and integrity of the home. The inspector may only look for things like faulty windows or doors and any signs or symptoms of mold. What about the mold or the harmful gases that may be in the air? These tend to be add ons and many homeowners forgo them or are completely unaware of them.
Radon gas testing is one of these add ons. The inspections in some states may not include radon gas testing. However, radon gases can be very dangerous. A family whose home has radon levels of 4 pCI l is exposed to approximately 35 times as much radiation as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would allow if that family was standing next to the fence of a radioactive waste site. Oftentimes, regular inspectors do not even have the ability to do radon gas testing. A specialized local radon testing company may need to be used.
There may even be some states that tend to have higher levels of radon gases. These states may not even require radon gas testing with new mortgages or with the rental of some properties. A local radon mitigation company may need to be subcontracted for testing purposes. According to the US EPA, nearly 1 in 3 homes checked in 7 states and on 3 Indian lands had screening levels over 4 pCi L, the EPA?s recommended action level for radon exposure. The problem is that most people and property owners are unaware of their home?s exposure to radon gases.
Homeowners should take radon testing services into their own hands. They should consider having their home tested for radon gases by a radon mitigation company. Some home testing kits may even be available for testing themselves. If radon levels are elevated, then radon mitigation services may be needed. Short term detectors measure radon levels for 2 days to 90 days, depending on the device. Short term tests that show elevated levels may need further consultation with a radon abatement service.
Inspections are a common thing during the purchase of a new home. Mortgage companies may require inspections to protect their mortgage. New homeowners may get their own inspections to protect their own investment into the property. However, inspections do not include every important aspect of the home. They often overlook things like radon testing, even though radon levels have shown to be very dangerous and higher in many states. A homeowner should take radon testing into their own hands and should have radon mitigation services done immediately if the tests show high levels.