Question about radon

[Atvar]

I am currently in the process of buying my first home. I just had a home inspection done on it this week and being the nervous person I am paid for just about every package the inspector offered. The inspection went well with only a couple minor problems that the current owner has been more than willing to have fixed. Easy enough.

Well today I just had the radon test report e-mailed to me from the inspector. The average radon level in the basement is 8.1 pCi/L. Basically twice the action limit of 4.

I know nothing about this and was wondering if anyone had any experience with radon mitigation systems and their pricing. I want to provide the homeowner with as much info as possible.

 

[FreshPrince]

wow, I know anything over 4 and you really need to have it looked at.

as far as mitigation, that's something you should have the seller take care of...I would think the 8.1 level would be reason enough.

 

[FoBoT]

is the basement living space? finished and with rooms you will be using on a daily basis?

or is it just storage area/equipment (water heater,furnace) ?

 

[Fern]

I ilive in the mountains of Westren NC (Smoky). Radon is common here. Radon will penetarte rock, presumbly concrete (if thats the floor oif your basement.

my "basement" is unfinsihed with dirt floor. The inspector used for my house said plastic (forgot thickness) sheeting will stop radon.

Radon is said to be the #1 cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. Might wanna google to confirm that. Oh, and I doubt its just that house. Prolly common in your area, like mine.

Fern

 

[James Bond]

"At standard temperature and pressure radon is a colorless gas, but when it is cooled below its freezing point (202K ; -71°C ; -96°F) it has a brilliant phosphorescence which turns yellow as the temperature is lowered, and becomes orange-red at the temperatures air liquefies (below 93K ; -180°C)."

Make house cold and take pics please, thx.

 

[j00fek]

http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html

 

[KB]

When I went to purchase my house the inspector found out the radon level was 10.1 picacuries/L. We had put it in the contract that any problems found in the inspection had to be remediated by the homeowners. They contracted the work to a specialty company that did this and it cost them $750 bucks to drill a hole in the concrete floor and stick a PVC tube and fan outside the house.