Hey Mark,

I’m selling my home and the buyers inspector did a radon test. The result was 4.9, and they said I had to have a mitigation system installed. That’s not very high. Why do I have to have it fixed?

Bob

Hey Bob,

Technically, there are no federal laws that require you  to do anything about the radon in your home. You are free to live in it, just as you are free to choose to smoke 4 packs of cigarettes a day. It is your choice, and you can choose the levels and risk you are comfortable with.  However your buyers, as a stipulation in their contingency for purchasing your home have requested that you have the radon level fixed. It appears that this request is based on the EPA’s mitigation level recommendations.

There is no such thing as a safe level of radon. Just like there is no “safe” number of cigarettes you can smoke a day. Therefore what we want to do is reduce the health risks of radon by reducing it as much as is practically possible. The EPA recommends that if your radon level is below 2.0 pCi/L that with today’s technology, we really can’t practically reduce the radon levels much more than that, so the home should be re-tested every two years to make sure it hasn’t increased. If your levels are greater than 2 and less that 4 pCi/L then you should consider having a system installed to try to reduce it below 2. If your levels are 4 or above, the EPA strongly suggests that you definitely have the home mitigated (but even then there is no requirement to do so).

The risks are real. Statistics have shown that living in a home with a radon level of 4.0 pCi/L, is equivalent to your risk of dying in a car accident. We all wear seatbelts to help reduce that risk. Therefore common sense tells us that if by installing a relatively low cost device in our home we can reduce our lung cancer risks as well, we should do that.

I hope that helps.

Mark

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County. If you are looking for a thorough and qualified St. Louis area home inspector, use the contact information on this site to contact Mark regarding available services.

Hey Jean,

Re-testing should be done according to EPA guidelines.  There are several things that the sellers could do to alter their test.  I’ll not list them as it will give some people “suggestions” they could attempt to use.  However most of the things they may try, such as leaving their windows open as you suggest, may actually increase their tested levels because it could increase the amount of radon drawn into the home from the ground.  As a practical issue, there really isn’t anything you as a potential buyer can do to ensure that the seller’s test is performed properly.  Hopefully your test was performed by a certified technician to EPA standards for a real estate transaction. About the only thing you can do, is determine if the radon report you receive contains some sort of certification information on the testing professional, as well as a statement that it was performed to EPA guidelines.  If the seller’s test is performed using an electronic continuous radon monitor, it is probably equipped with instrumentation that will assist the technician in determining if the monitor has been tampered with.  If they simply used a canister or some other device, then it will not be as obvious to the tech.

Since I am in Missouri I contacted an acquaintance of mine who is an inspector in WI (Michael Larson, Inspectrapro LLC, Hudson WI, http://www.inspectrapro.com).  He tells me that radon testing is not legislated in Wisconsin, but provided a link to a list of WI Radon mitigators who have passed testing by Radon organizations and must maintain CE for their continued accreditation. http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/dph_beh/RadonProt/Lists/miti1008.pdf .

I would also strongly recommend that you seek the advice of your agent in the transaction, as well as a real estate lawyer.  I don’t think the second test is your primary concern, as you bailed on the home for other reasons as well.  Even if the sellers produce a contradictory radon test result, this wouldn’t likely alter your decision anyway, as radon mitigation is generally relatively low cost and simple to perform in the first place.  Therefore, in my opinion, legal advise is what you really need.

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County.

I have a contract on a house that is new construction. It will be completed soon and a friend told me that I should have it inspected before we close on the house. It seems that since everything is new, there would be no reason to spend the money on an inspection? Do home inspectors really do inspections on brand new homes, and if so, what kinds of things could be a problem?
Thanks,
Louis

A. Hey Louis,

For me to tell you that you should have your new home inspected could seem self serving (after all that is my business), however my own experiences tells me it is the right thing to do.

You would think that a new home would be perfect, and that you need not be concerned about anything. You would also think that after moving in, the home warranty would protect you in regard to anything you might find later that needs to be fixed.  But the truth of the matter is, neither of those thoughts prove to be true.

Recently I inspected a newly constructed home, valued over a million dollars. Here is a real-life example of what I found as I inspected this high-end, brand new home:

• Poorly applied shingles with exposed nails
• Visual holes through shingles, and multiple damaged shingles.
• Fascia falling from the front of the home.
• Damaged siding.
• Multiple cracks in the foundation (several with visible moisture).
• Jacuzzi type tub, with open seals allowing the water to drain directly to the basement.
• The sump pump draining next to the foundation (basically allowing the water to then drain back under the foundation and back into the pit for a never ending cycle of pumping.)
• An exposed piece of rebar randomly sticking up in the back yard.
• Many other more minor issues that I won’t list point-by-point.

And I want to remind you that this was all in just one, high-end, newly constructed home.

I’ve heard from other inspectors who have found serious hazards, such as un-finished or disconnected furnace or water heater flues, unfinished chimney flues, wood construction material too close to the flues posing a fire hazard, unconnected waste pipes draining sewage into the crawlspaces or basement.  The stories are endless.  And this doesn’t even address the possibility of the home having elevated levels of radon gas.

Bottom line for you as a new construction buyer…There is no such thing as a perfect house.  Homes are built by fallible humans. The municipal inspectors who are supposed to be checking for code, are overworked, and generally don’t spend much time looking at the 10-20 homes they are inspecting every day.  And even then, they are looking for code violations, not poor workmanship. In most cases their final inspections are performed prior to turning on the utilities, so inspections of basic electrical, plumbing, and HVAC equipment is impossible.

Your best option, even with a warranty, is to identify problems and address them before you close escrow.  You have the most power at that time.  After all, if the builder doesn’t want to fix those problems now, there are probably 100 other new homes on the market you could be just as happy with. Once you close, and you own the home, you are at the builder’s mercy as to what exactly is covered under their warranty, and what the builder considers normal wear and tear.

At a minimum, I would recommend: A whole house inspection, a termite inspection (yes termites can work very fast), and a short term radon test.

As a side note: I would also recommend that anyone who is considering purchasing a new home should hire a real estate agent to represent you in the transaction. Not hiring an agent won’t save you any money, nor will hiring one cost you any money (if you are curious how this works, ask your agent). But, it is to your advantage to have an agent who can represent you, look out for your best interests, as well as assist you in negotiations with your builder.

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County.

I just read your question about a seller having asbestos in their home. I am on the other end, the buyer. I just had an inspection and the inspector found vermiculite in a portion of the home. It is covered by about 8-10 inches of new installation.

One concern, the inspector stuck his hand into the vermiculite and pulled out a handful to show me.. does this fall under the category of ‘do not disturb the asbestos’ or is this ok?

Thank you!

Maria

Hey Maria,

While a minor disturbance such as this may not be a major health risk in and of itself, the cumulative effect of exposure to asbestos is a proven threat.  Apparently your inspector has a comfort level with it that exceeds what the EPA recommends.  They recommend NOT disturbing the vermiculite insulation.  If it is disturbed inadvertently, they recommend leaving the area and allowing the dust to settle.

Even though the inspector should not have disturbed it, I might also say that it is good that he found the vermiculite.  Most inspectors don’t move insulation around.  His “probing” was what lead him to the discovery.

Now, you need to ask yourself how much you love the home. If you love it, and can either live in the home without disturbing the insulation, or can have it removed, then the home may still be a good option for you. The fact that additional insulation is on top of the vermiculite does give it an additional barrier that may help to minimize disturbances. You can read more about vermiculite insulation and asbestos on the EPA’s website so that you can be well-informed as you make your decision.

Mark

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County.

I had an experience during a recent inspection that got me thinking about buyers’ expectations for their home inspection. How can you know what your home inspection will include? Every individual who is hiring a home inspector should ask their inspector what “standards” he or she follows during an inspection. For example, I am a member of the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, and I use the standards of practice from InterNACHI (http://www.nachi.org/sop.htm). Prior to the inspection, I discuss with my client where my standards might differ from those, and also note it in the report, if appropriate. This gives my client a clear picture of what he or she can expect to occur during the home inspection.

I realize that buying a home can be very stressful and overwhelming. But remember, your home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind. Don’t let it have the opposite effect. Most of it is mundane information, recorded for your reference. Things like: the age of your furnace and other major appliances, maintenance recommendations, suggested ideas for improving the home (to perhaps bring it up to modern standards), and occasional minor imperfections. These things are nice to know about and are useful to you in budgeting for future repairs, but the issues that really matter during your negotiation process fall into three general categories:

1. Major defects. An example would be a structural failure, or an active roof leak.

2. Things that lead to major defects. A faucet leaking, that might lead to damaged flooring or future mold growth.

3. Safety hazards, such as loose stairs, or exposed electrical wiring.

In my opinion, anything in these categories should be addressed. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 & 3).

Many times, the home sellers are surprised to learn of defects uncovered in their property during an inspection. This is just one of the many reasons I recommend sellers have their homes inspected prior to placing their homes on the market. It helps to avoid big surprises that can jeopardize the successful completion of their home sale.

In the end, I would encourage home buyers to remember that NO HOME IS PERFECT. Keeping things in perspective is very important during the process. Don’t walk away from your deal over things that do not matter. Generally, it is not considered appropriate to demand that a seller address minor maintenance issues, nit-picky items or conditions already listed on their disclosure. Your real estate agent’s expert advice will be invaluable as you determine what items need to be addressed and how to proceed through the negotiation process.

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County.

A. Hey Michelle,
The simple answer to your question is no. The radon levels don’t increase the longer the canister is in place. However the validity of the result in this circumstance is dependent upon the type of measuring device used. Also, in the case of “canister” types of tests, there should be two tests taken simultaneously. If both are above 4.0 or below 4.0, they should be averaged, and the recommendations for mitigation would be based on that result. If one is above or one is below, another protocol should be followed that is beyond the scope of this response.

To properly evaluate the validity of your test, I would need some additional information and documentation. I would need to know how many canisters were used, the exact length of time they were in place, the types of canisters, their placement, and the results of each canister. This is because there are many different types of radon testing devices, and they all have different protocols and sensitivities.

First of all, there are charcoal canister devices which allow the continual absorption and desorption of radon. Open-faced canisters will be biased to the radon concentration of the last 12-24 hours of the exposure period. These types of devices may be sensitive to temperature, humidity and airflow extremes and the sampling periods are limited to a few days. So if the test you are asking about was made with a charcoal canister, then 4 days could possibly be too long for an accurate result.

For alpha track detectors efficiency and sensitivity is relatively low, requiring exposure over long periods. Typically, for at least 90 days and often up to a year. For this reason they are not typically used for a real estate transaction.

Electret Ion Chambers can be used for a minimum of 2 days and for as long as a year. There are two types of electret chambers available. The more sensitive short-term would be more appropriate for a real-estate transaction. These devices are sensitive to background radiation, and excess humidity. It is also problematic that if the readings are made in an environment much colder or much warmer than the environment they were calibrated at, it could affect the results.

The best method for short term testing (especially in the context of a real-estate transaction) is to use a continuous electronic radon monitor (CRM). There are many suitable EPA-approved monitors on the market and most have the capability to detect whether they have been tampered with or un-plugged. Some have the ability to read the radon levels on an hourly basis, as well as the temperature and humidity. CRM’s are very reliable. They also give the technician additional information beyond the radon levels, to help them to property interpret the results and to determine if the proper protocols were maintained during the testing period.

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County.

Occasionally, I’ll take a look at the types of internet searches that bring folks to this page. I’ve recently noticed some people who found www.HeyMark.info via a search similar to the title of today’s post. ‘How do I improve a radon test?’

My first thought was one of shock. On the surface it appears someone may be looking for ways to make their radon levels test better than they actually are.If that is the case, then these individuals should be ashamed of themselves. The deception alone, is troubling, but the person(s) would also be risking the health of people who might unknowingly be moving into a home with elevated radon levels.

Yes, there are ways that people can “alter” the results of a radon test. However, things people might try, such as opening windows and turning on attic fans can actually INCREASE the radon levels in a home. Most attempts to lower the radon test levels are pretty easy to spot by the trained radon technician, and nearly impossible if the technician is using a continuous electronic monitor. These machines are capable of detecting attempts to tamper with the testing. If you are having a radon test run during a real estate transaction, I would highly recommend finding an inspector who uses the continuous electronic monitors for this very reason.

So…If you suspect that you may have elevated radon levels in your home, the right way to improve your next radon test, is to have a radon mitigation system installed in the home. In most cases, these systems are relatively low costs ($800-$1500), are considered a home improvement, have the added benefit of improving the indoor air quality in general (vents soil gases outside), and usually lowers the radon level in the home below 2.0 pCi/L. You’ll also be able to sleep better at night knowing you did the right thing as opposed to trying to alter test results.

Mark Nahrgang is the owner of Kingdom Inspection Network Group – St. Louis and is a professional NACHI certified building inspector in the St. Louis metro area. Mark performs home inspections as well as commercial inspections throughout St. Louis and St. Charles County.

I’m purchasing a home that is currently owned by a bank. The inspector stated that we had to make sure that the bank had all the utilities turned on. We thought they had but when we got there, there were signs all over saying the home was winterized. My inspector really couldn’t inspect everything. What should we do?

Frustrated.

A. Hey Frustrated,

I feel your frustration because I was that inspector just last week. I showed up to inspect a bank-owned home, which was supposed to be ready for inspection. However, there were winterization signs all over, and the water and the water heater were both turned off. Unfortunately, my client was frustrated with me because I refused to turn the water on.

However, to understand this scenario better, put yourself into the shoes of the homeowner. Imagine that you owned a home, and you had signs in the home stating that certain appliances may not be operated. It is still your home and no one has the right to violate your wishes regarding your home. And if someone does violate your instructions, and something bad happens, you would hold that person responsible for any damages.

For that reason, most Home Inspectors do NOT turn on utilities, nor do they de-winterize homes. In these situations, the seller (in my example, the bank) should have the home de-winterized and the utilities turned on in preparation for the inspection. There are literally hundreds of horror stories about inspectors, Realtors, or their clients turning on a utility with disastrous results. There may be a safety issue, a water leak, or a host of other problems that could occur. Someone who takes it upon themselves to turn on a utility or ignore instructional signs and notes, has opened themselves up to tremendous liability.

So that leads to your question… “What should we do?”

Typically, it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that the home is ready for your inspection. Depending on your real estate contract, the responsibility to have the utilities turned on still falls to the property owner. Once they are turned on, you can ask your inspector to return to complete the inspection, however be aware that there will probably be an return inspection fee. Your inspector’s time is valuable, and your second inspection is taking up one of his time slots. Many buyers successfully negotiate with the sellers to pay this return fee, if it was the seller’s fault that the inspection couldn’t be completed. This depends on your contract, and who was responsible for making sure the utilities were turned on.

Here is one of those horror stories I mentioned above …. : Warning to Realtors

Our home inspection report recommends a catch pan under the washing machine. What exactly is that and how do I get one?

Thanks,
Andrew

A. Hey Andrew,

Recommending a catch pan under a washing machine is a common recommendation with some home inspectors. Some municipalities even require it in certain circumstances.

Personally, I don’t commonly recommend catch pans for a number of reasons. The first problem being that they are difficult to install after the home is already built. If installed properly, they will have a drain and plumbing to direct the water safely away from the leak. However, if not installed with a drain, or if the drain is clogged, they can easily overflow if the home is not occupied for a period of time, and the leak is not detected right away. Another reason being that they only “catch” the water that falls directly into them and do nothing to address water spraying all over the room from a busted hose or pipe. Lastly, they are easily damaged when replacing the washer/dryer, or removing them for servicing or cleaning.

Instead, I recommend specific devices be installed on all appliances that use water, because of the possibility of a future break. I have an affiliate relationship with a company that manufactures these devices and homeowners can install them themselves. The company is called “Flood Stop”. The devices have a small sensor that can be placed on the floor, which detects moisture. Once the sensor is activated, the device immediately closes a valve on the water supply to shut off water to the appliance. It also sets off an alarm to alert you that there is some sort of problem. Some insurance companies may offer discounts on your premiums with these devices installed. Be sure to check with your insurance carrier to see if that is the case with your coverage. These devices, depending on the appliance, run around $100-$125.

You can learn more about the flood stop products by clicking this link: Flood Stop. I have personally talked to the owner (and inventor) of flood stop and he has agreed to offer you (as well as any other reader accessing this special link) a 10% discount should decide to purchase any of his products. Simply enter coupon code “king” at your checkout.

A: I understand your frustration with the situation you encountered. Unfortunately, this is a common misunderstanding; so let me address it. This probably is not an issue of laziness on the part of your inspector. Most, if not all, major home inspection organization’s Standards of Practice state that the home inspector is NOT required to move personal belongings in order to gain access to any portion of the home. In addition, the professional inspector organizations and insurance carriers strongly advise inspectors against moving any belongings that belong to the homeowner.

First, the recommendation stems from the fact that the belongings do not belong to the inspector, and he has absolutely no right to move them. Secondly, the inspector does not know what is in the box, whether it is fragile, if it is valuable, or if it is already broken. Unfortunately, there are plenty of horror stories in the home inspection industry about inspectors moving things and damaging them. Even if the inspector was careful and was positive that he didn’t damage anything, the seller could later open that box, discover the priceless Ming vase, or irreplaceable family heirloom inside is now broken, and assume the home inspector is responsible simply because he did move the box. Additionally, if an inspector moves one item, then he might be expected to move others as well. The smart inspector does not do this because he risks damaging belongings, as well as raises his liability risk.

Unfortunately, all you can do now is request that the sellers make the attic accessible and ask your inspector to return to inspect it. (There may be a return fee for this service.)

Informing the seller of the need to prepare their home for the inspection may prevent these kinds of situations. Agents can use my FREE downloadable checklist titled “How to Prepare for Your Property Inspection” which will help homeowners understand what kinds of preparations should be made to ensure full access to the property. Homeowners might also want to download a second checklist titled, “How to Improve the Results of Your Inspection”. This list will help the homeowner address some maintenance and minor repair issues ahead of time, improving the results of the inspection.