Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter a home through openings around foundations, slabs, crawlspaces, sump pits, and utility penetrations. It has no color or odor, so a properly conducted test is the only way to determine a home’s radon level. For buyers in southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware, testing during the inspection period provides useful information before closing.
Why Radon Testing Matters
Long-term radon exposure increases the risk of lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who do not smoke and the second-leading cause overall.
Radon does not produce reliable short-term symptoms that can warn occupants about an elevated level. A home can have elevated radon even when it is new, well maintained, or located next to another home with a low result. Testing—not appearance, age, neighborhood, or foundation type—provides the answer.
When Should a Homebuyer Test?
The EPA recommends testing when buying or selling a home. A buyer should also consider a new test when a previous result is old, the lowest occupied level has changed, a major renovation altered airflow, or a radon-reduction system cannot be verified as operating correctly.
Testing is especially time-sensitive during a real-estate transaction. Schedule it early enough to receive and review the result within the inspection contingency. TMK can coordinate professional radon testing with the home inspection so buyers have one clear process and fewer scheduling steps.
How a Real-Estate Radon Test Works
A testing device is placed in the lowest level of the home that could be used regularly. Short-term real-estate tests require controlled conditions. Exterior doors and windows should remain closed except for normal entry and exit, heating and cooling systems should operate normally, and the device must not be moved or disturbed.
Weather, ventilation, placement, and interference can affect a measurement. A professional test helps document device location, test duration, operating conditions, and any signs of interference so the result can be interpreted with confidence.
Understanding the Result
Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). EPA guidance recommends taking action to reduce radon at 4 pCi/L or higher and considering reduction between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Levels below 4 pCi/L still carry some risk, and no test can guarantee future conditions will remain unchanged.
An elevated result does not automatically mean a buyer must abandon the property. Qualified radon-mitigation contractors can reduce levels in most homes. During a transaction, buyers should discuss the result, available options, timing, and contractual rights with their real-estate professionals.
Radon Testing Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new home have elevated radon?
Yes. New construction and radon-resistant features can reduce risk, but the EPA still recommends testing because construction alone does not establish the indoor radon level.
Can neighboring homes have different results?
Yes. Soil conditions, foundation openings, ventilation, and building operation vary from one property to another. A neighbor’s result cannot determine the level in the home you are buying.
What happens if the result is high?
A qualified mitigation contractor can evaluate the home and recommend a radon-reduction system. The home should be retested after mitigation to confirm performance.
How much does TMK charge?
TMK’s current radon test price is $165. Review services and pricing or call or text the team if the property has unusual conditions.
Schedule Radon Testing With TMK
TMK Inspections provides clear testing coordination and straightforward results for homebuyers across its Pennsylvania and Delaware service areas. Request your inspection and radon test, or call or text the inspector serving your area.