We just had an inspection done on a home we are planning to purchase in Oswego (Kendall Co), and had it tested for radon also. It came back with a high level. The EPA recommends if the level comes back higher than 4.0 (pCi/L). Ours tested at 7.0. The recommendation is a mitigation system, which we can request the seller put in before closing. Our concern is, does this really solve the problem, or lower the level to a safer level. Does anybody have experience with this? We are concerned since radon is a Class A known human carcinogen. I realize it occurs from the radioactive decay of naturally occuring uranium in the soil and that it is common in this area. Plus, I look at all the other things in our life that we are exposed to that may/may not cause cancer.
Obviously we want to make sure if we bought the house and installed the mitigation system, that if we ever had to sell it, that it would not prevent us from selling it. And we want to stay healthy!
If anybody has any experience with this situation, please let me know. Thanks!
I am a realtor and the mitigation system SHOULD take care of the problem..I would talk to the experts who would be doing it and see if they guarantee this and provide additional testing in 6 months to a year to prove that the radon is low enough.
Definitely do it. The radon level was high in the house we wanted to buy, too, so we got $2000 back to credit us for having to install the mitigation system. (It actually was more than that, due to us having a big crawl space and us deciding to upgrade to the top of the line sump pump.) We used Accurate Radon, and were extremely pleased with their level of expertise and professionalism.
Hi Kimberli,
I am a Realtor and have experienced this same problem in quite a few homes (including my own). PLEASE have the mitigation system put in! Many homes in Illinois have Radon and the owners don't know it (it's a naturally occuring gas that seeps into our homes). Once the mitigation system is put in, the home will be retested to make sure the radon level is below acceptable levels. Many systems have a reading so you can check them periodically. As for resale value. . . a home with a mitigation system shouldn't need to be tested and should give peace of mind to any potential buyers that there is no problem with radon. Just so you know, a home could test negative for radon at one time, then postitive at another time. A mitigation system alleviates that possibility. Good luck with your home purchase!
L. F.
I have a lot of experience with this through my job. I also have a mitigation system in my own home. I would not hesitate to buy a home with a radon mitigation system. It is my feeling that if you have a system in your home you are better off than a home without - radon levels change all of the time, so just b/c a house tested without now it might have radon at another time. With the system you KNOW that your home is radon free. The way the mitigation system works is like a vaccum and it tells you that it is working. Plus, once the mitigation system is in you should not have any trouble with resale. This is very common in this area.
My only advice is : Make sure the sellers pay for the mitigation system to be installed and a retest.
Best.
Hi Kimberli,
My husband and I bought a house last December and it tested high for radon as well. The previous owners paid for the mitigation system to be put in. After they install the mitigation system, they are required to test the air in your home again to make sure the problem is solved and that the system is working. So yes, I do believe it solves the problem. Blessings to you! A. V
We had this happen when we bought our home last year in September (in the Palatine area). We also added it into the contract and received compensation from the seller to do it after the sale. We used VSI Environmental, recommended by our home inspector. I agree with the others who've said it should be done and wonder in the future if it might become something that a seller would be required to disclose anyway. Regardless, your future buyer should feel more at ease having a system already in place in our geographic area because it is so common here.
Hi,
We are buying one that tested high, so the sellers put in the system last month. It works! I would not buy the home otherwise.
IL has some of the highest levels in the country for radon. MANY homes would test high, and it does cause lung cancer pretty drastically. 1000 times more likely than carcinogens in food. I feel good buying a home with the system. I don't understand why others don't test.
Hello,
I'm a real estate broker/owner in St Charles and radon mitigation will not prevent you from selling your home in the future. It's become common place and could actually become an asset that you would have a system already in place. Some builders are even being proactive and installing mitigation systems when new homes are being built. if you have concerns go to www.radon.illinois.gov
Enjoy your new home!
I work in the real estate field. This is VERY common. Just have the seller install the mitigation system.
Do not buy this home-you may not have a problem buying, but you certainly will selling it. I spent (2) weeks in Rochester Minnesota, back in 1982 and while there I had the please of meeting a very ill entire family-it was the house and the Radon level was so high it made the entire family very ill. There house was condemed. I would seriously think twice before purchasing this home-Why do you think it's for sale!!!!
A very concerned person.
Radon is very common in this area. Get the sellers to fix it and retest. Specify that they need to hire a licensed mitigation specialist to do the job. Your system should come with a warranty that will require you to test once a year. You can buy do it yourself tests at Lowes and Home Depot (much less expensive than hiring someone else to test). I think you can even get a free test kit from radon.illinois.gov. Don't let this scare you. Just take care of it now so that it is not your expense when you try to sell later.
Hi Kimberli,
My neighbor does this for a living. His website is http://www.checkmyradon.com/about.html and his name is Jay Jaros. He tested our entire neighborhood and sells equipment that continuously monitor the levels of radon on our homes. Good luck!
We also have one in our home. We purchased it knowing that it had a system. We have had the levels tested twice in the 3 1/2 years we lived here with a kit from the health department and the levels were fine. I view it as peace of mind.
We have a mitigation system in our house. We have not had a problem since we put it in.
We had the home we bought last year tested and the level came back at 11-something which was really scary once we understood what that meant. After mitigation, ours now tests at 0.8...definitely worth it!
We have a system in our home and it cost between $1-2,000 (don't remember now) and we split the cost with the seller. It will help with the resale of your house in the future and piece of mind. However, to also ease your mind (please don't view this as trying to talk you out of it because that is not my intent) the levels of radon in you house is low compared to other parts of the country. My husband is from the east cost and radon is big where he is from. Even after they put in a system, the levels were still in the 20-30 range. No one in his family has died of cancer associated with radon so even if the system is ineffective (say the seal on the floor is partially worn away) years down the road, the chance of there being any immediate risk is probably statistically low. Our floor and crawl space have barriers on it and we had to unseal the sump pump due to issues with the sump so the system is only perfect for part of the time. Good luck.
We bought a house 7 yeras ago that had a system installed. We too were very concerned, but after much reaseach realized that the system really does bring the levels down to within acceptable ranges. In trying to sell it, we never had one person question the system. Good Luck
I would most certainly add it to your contract. A lot of homes have radon, and radon remediation systems apparently work very well. I don't have one, but do have a friend who just bought a million dollar home with one -- so it doesn't seem to affect resale! I would be very careful to research who does the best systems, have them come and inspect and give an estimate, and put that company and system into the contract. DO NOT allow the sellers to dictate who/what is installed, and DO NOT allow your/their broker to sway you on having the best system put in. This is your home and your family's safety. In this market, you have all the cards. Don't be afraid to walk away if its not 100% safe -- nothing is worth a bout of cancer 15-20 years down the line.
