If you’re buying an Orlando home, you probably know you need to have the property inspected to make sure the home is in good condition before buying it. But do you know the types of inspections you want done?



One of the inspections you want to include is a radon inspection. (Be sure to also include a radon contingency in your offer to purchase.) It sounds fairly harmless, doesn’t it? However, you might not want to pass this option up, especially if your potential new Orlando home has a basement or sump pump.


What is Radon?


Colorless, tasteless and odorless, radon is easy to miss. It’s a natural gas that’s found all over the U.S. When we all breathe it in the air, it’s highly diluted. The problem isn’t when radon is outside; the problem is when it builds up in enclosed spaces. In high enough concentration, radon can cause health issues. Radon has caused over 21,000 deaths from lung cancer, according to the EPA.



Because no home can be completely sealed, radon can enter any home through gaps around pipes, inside wall cavities, cracks in the wall, construction joints and other areas. It can even be found in the water supply. In fact, almost 1 in 15 homes have elevated radon levels.



Getting the home tested…


While certain parts of the country are at higher risk than others, living in a low risk area doesn’t make your particular home safe. When you set up your property inspections, I strongly urge you to request a radon inspection.



If there is radon in the home…


Radon is measured by the quantity in a specified amount of air. According to the EPA, if the radon level is more than 4.0 pCi/l, there’s a problem that needs to be rectified with a radon mitigation system. Simply put, the gas needs to be vented to the outside.



Fortunately, the fix won’t take a lot of time or money, but it does need to be done by a trained radon mitigation system professional. For example, if the home has a sump pump, it generally costs less than $1,000 to have the system installed. This virtually eliminates the problem and prevents it from reoccurring.

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