Should I test for Radon in WNC?

A question I hear often from new home buyers is what is radon and should I test for it.

The following is what I tell my clients....

In Western North Carolina cities like Asheville it is pretty common.

But is it really a big deal and worth the cost and trouble of testing?

Radon is a radioactive odorless and invisible gas that occurs naturally rocks and soil. It moves up through the soil and into your home.

Breathing radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer and only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths...so yes, it is a pretty big deal.

So how do you test for it and what happens if it comes back high ?

Well you can hire me to set up my test devices inside the home for a minimum of 48 hours, in a closed house and at the lowest living level of the home. I usually charge 75 to 100 dollars for a radon test, depending on if I have to travel further...such as to Black Mountain or Hendersonville. As soon as I recover the devices I know immediately what the results are.

Or you can set up a test kit yourself. You can buy the activated charcoal test kits from Lowes and Home Depot for under 20 dollars. Send the kit off yourself for evaluation and have the results back within 5-10 days...depending if you pay extra for expediting the results.

Either way, I highly recommend it. Radon mitigation for an existing home can be upwards of 3-4 thousand dollars. It is much cheaper to test up front. I tell people if it was me buying a house in this area, I would test...its cheap insurance.