Radon in Homes? (Reston, Fairfax, Vienna: buying a house, buying, home inspection)

[bargainhigh]

We are in the process of purchasing a home and we've been made aware that Radon is a problem in this area. Since we are originally from the West Coast, this is something we've never had to be concerned about. We've been advised to get a Radon test done during our home inspection.

Wondering if anyone has had high Radon levels found in their home and if they were able to remove Radon effectively.

Thanks!

[michgc]

When we bought our house in Vienna we had radon tested. It was a level "4" in the basement. I think it's supposed to be 2 or under. My friend buying a house in Reston at the same time got hers tested and had an "8". We got the radon remediation, which brought the level down to about a 1. We haven't had it tested again in 9 years. It is VERY common in this area. It's common where I grew up in Pennsylvania, too, and we never had it tested. Who knows what I was breathing all those years playing in the basement? Regardless, the radon remediation companies should be able to "remove" it - it's basically a ventilation system - to get it to acceptable levels.

[bargainhigh]

Thanks for the info! It sounds scary.

[nixau27]

We just bought our house 2 yrs ago when we moved from TX to NoVa and the bank agreed to pay for the radon remediation. I was worried at first but after reading about it and the bank agreeing to pay for it, my mind is now at ease. It cost us less than $800 or less.

[BostonBen]

Are most areas in NoVA the same with respect to radon levels? Are there any areas with radon comes in around 2? Thanks.

[car54]

Originally Posted by BostonBen

Are most areas in NoVA the same with respect to radon levels? Are there any areas with radon comes in around 2? Thanks.

Here's Fairfax County:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/images/radon.gif

(yellow=lower, red=higher)

I've read that the area around Braddock Rd & Shirley Gate Rd in Fairfax is a radon hotspot, and that's why there are few houses there...don't know if it's true.

[Doppelganger69]

We've had two houses (not here) that needed radon mitigation. It's not a big deal, and it's not terribly expensive, but you do want to do it if you need it, as radon is a real health risk.

[mdcrim]

We have a radon remediation unit in the basement. The previous owner had it installed. I don't find it to be a big deal or concern personally.

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by bargainhigh

We are in the process of purchasing a home and we've been made aware that Radon is a problem in this area. Since we are originally from the West Coast, this is something we've never had to be concerned about. We've been advised to get a Radon test done during our home inspection.

Radon levels are high in the area due to the rock formations and I suspect, the nearby mountains.

However, the issue of radon in houses is heated argument, especially with mediation systems who claim to solve the problem. If you Search "Radon" on the "House" Forum, you'll see the debates going on; probably more than 1/2 of the C-Ders who commented will tell you that alot of the stuff is bullsh*t, especially the testing methods.

Radon is a gas typically found in basements, not only in older homes, but in new building, especially in basements that were made to be airtight/tightly sealed. The gas rises from the ground throughout the house and needs to be released, most easily by opening the basement windows and/or doors. Some homeowners install attic vent fans which also suck the radon out of the house.

Some mediation companies will claim to get rid of the radon by drilling into your basement floor and suck it out. Their costs/fees go up when you have a concrete floor and they (the companies) need to install pipes and other equipment. However, the radon is not gone. It's in the ground.

If you feel more comfortable asking the Seller to pay for testing and mediation, then by all means ask. But don't turn down the house based on this if you really like the house and be sure to do some reading and research on this. Good luck!

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

Radon levels are high in the area due to the rock formations and I suspect, the nearby mountains.

However, the issue of radon in houses is heated argument, especially with mediation systems who claim to solve the problem. If you Search "Radon" on the "House" Forum, you'll see the debates going on; probably more than 1/2 of the C-Ders who commented will tell you that alot of the stuff is bullsh*t, especially the testing methods.

Radon is a gas typically found in basements, not only in older homes, but in new building, especially in basements that were made to be airtight/tightly sealed. The gas rises from the ground throughout the house and needs to be released, most easily by opening the basement windows and/or doors. Some homeowners install attic vent fans which also suck the radon out of the house.

Some mediation companies will claim to get rid of the radon by drilling into your basement floor and suck it out. Their costs/fees go up when you have a concrete floor and they (the companies) need to install pipes and other equipment. However, the radon is not gone. It's in the ground.

If you feel more comfortable asking the Seller to pay for testing and mediation, then by all means ask. But don't turn down the house based on this if you really like the house and be sure to do some reading and research on this. Good luck!

You continually use the wrong term of "mediation" in this post. The proper term is "mitigation".........to mitigate means to control.....which is exactly what a radon mitigation system does.....it controls the flow of radon......it doesn't eliminate it.....it just controls the flow of the radon gas from under the slab by venting it to the exterior.
Before you start giving advice on mitigation systems and their costs and techniques it would be wise to do a little homework and know what your talking about otherwise all you accomplish is to spread misinformation as you did in the above post.