Get an Inspection
If you are buying a home in the Louisville area, your agent will most likely recommend a series of inspections. One of the recommended checks should be for Radon. Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that is given off by the decay of uranium commonly found in the ground around your home. More importantly, it is a carcinogen. In fact, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Up to 20,000 deaths per year have been attributed to this gas.
According to one source, radon levels in Louisville, Bullitt County, and Oldham County homes are not only much higher than the national average (see chart), but also well above the EPA recommended limit of 4 piC/L. Based on this information and the above statements, why would you decide not to have the home tested? By the way, homeowners should have this done if you didn't when you bought the house. It is never too early to stop being exposed to Radon.
Active Mitigation
If the Radon-level comes back high, a mitigation system should be installed. An active mitigation system generally consists of a fan inside 4" PVC pipe that pulls air from under the home via your sump pump and releases it above the roof line. While price varies slightly from contractor to contractor and house to house, most mitigation systems cost less than $1000. Any installation should include a new test to verify the system is working properly.
Passive Mitigation
At least 1 company sells a liquid that is supposed to seal radon from your house. When sprayed on your basement floors and walls, the chemical is supposed to seal the porous concrete. I used this system on my house, but it still tested 4.1. The chemical is only slightly less expensive than the mitigation system but supposedly warrantied. When I called about the guarantee, I was given a laundry list of reasons that it might not work. Long story short, I split the cost of an active system with the buyers, didn't get an acceptable answer from the chemical supplier and would never use or recommend their product again.
Disclosure
Sellers are required to disclose any known test results. Contrary to some opinion, Kentucky law does not require sellers to install a mitigation system. If the buyer requests for one to be put in, this becomes a point of negotiation just like any other part of the contract.
Other Resources
For more information on Radon and how to protect yourself, check out the EPA's Citizen's Guide to Radon.
Licensed Radon Mitigators in Kentucky.
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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed REALTOR with RE/MAX Alliance in Louisville. If you need a Louisville Real Estate agent please email me or call 502.921.3989.
I specialize in the following areas of the Metro Louisville Area: Prospect, Middletown, Jeffersontown (J-Town), Fern Creek, Okolona, Shepherdsville, Mt Washington, Hillview, Brooks and Pewee Valley. Click the following links to learn more about Louisville and Bullitt County Real Estateor to Search for Louisville Homes
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This is important information for all. Thank you for taking the time to share this.
Jim - Too many buyers and homeowners do not understand the risks associated with Radon. While studies are still being done to quantify the actual death/cancer rates, no one seems to question the potential for very serious side effects. Children and smokers are especially susceptible. I hope this helps people take action to protect themselves.