Boston Condos for Sale
January is national radon awareness month even during a pandemic and even in 2022. The winter months are one of the best times to test radon levels and we do have radon in Massachusetts.
Boston condo Buyers should test for radon
Boston condo for sale buyers, especially basement units, should always have a radon test as part of the home inspection. It doesn’t matter if the next-door Boston condominium owner had tested and did not have radon or if no one knows of anyone in the neighborhood who has ever had a positive radon test.
When buying or selling a house the radon test should be conducted by a professional.
Most homeowners have never tested for radon even though it is important to do if your purchasing a basement Boston condo for sale.
I’ll never forget the time a Boston real estate agent told the buyers that she had never heard of radon in the neighborhood. It just doesn’t work that way.
Boston Condos for Sale and the Bottom Line
Radon gas can be anywhere and everywhere. Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that comes from the soil. When inhaled these fine particles can damage the lungs. Exposure to radon over a long period of time can lead to lung cancer.
Learn more from the Massachusetts Department of Health
Boston Condos for Sale
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Updated: Boston Real Estate Blog 2022
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If you are buying or selling a ground level Boston condo in 2019, make sure it has a recent radon test. Here are several reasons why, updated for 2019
Boston Condo Buyers – Radon is sneaky.
Radon gas comes from underground uranium (which is what gives radon its radioactive properties). Sometimes the gas stays underground, but depending on the geology under your Beacon Hill home, it can find its way out. Radon is a one-atom gas, meaning it can find its way through almost any barrier.
Boston condo buyers: Never know until you test.
Radon is a radioactive gas, invisible and odorless. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. Testing, whether with a do-it-yourself kit or through a professional detection contractor, is the only way to know if it’s in a Beacon Hill condominium
Boston condo buyers: Old tests may be inaccurate.
Results can change with the season, reflecting changes in the way a Beacon Hill home is ventilated and seasonal weather conditions. Even if the most recent test showed low levels, it’s a good idea to test again in 2018, especially if you can do it at a different time of year than the last test.
Boston condo buyers: Radon can kill
Radon is responsible for 20% of all lung cancer deaths per year in the United States, and is the most common cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking (according to the Environmental Protection Agency).
Boston condo buyers: You won’t have any surprises.
It’s becoming more common for home inspectors to test for radon when you sell you Boston condo. If the test shows high radon levels in your home, it could slow down your home selling process. According to the EPA, one out of every 15 homes is estimated to have elevated radon levels.
Boston condo buyers: It’s relatively inexpensive.
Test kits are available for as little as $15, and you may be eligible for a free testing kit.
Mitigation is relatively easy.
If your Boston Beacon Hill home tests high for Radon unplug crawlspace vents (if you have them). Often this is enough to bring radon down to safe levels, and energy savings from blocked crawlspace vents in Boston’s mild climate are minimal (or go ahead and install some insulation in your crawlspace if you don’t have it!). If unblocking your crawlspace vents doesn’t bring Radon levels down, a qualified contractor will be able to recommend and implement solutions to vent the area underneath your home professionally, typically with a monitoring system so you can rest at peace. Professional mitigation systems can run over a thousand dollars but it is a small price to pay for your health and peace of mind.
You don’t have to DIY.
If you aren’t interested in testing for radon yourself, you can always hire the pros. Find a list of local Boston radon detection companies. Professional Radon testing is not very expensive, usually runs less than $200.
Children are especially vulnerable to radon.
With smaller lungs, they take more frequent breaths, increasing their radon exposure. Beacon Hill is a great place to raise kids — as long as they aren’t growing up with radon!
Any home can have a radon problem.
According to the EPA, radon can occur in all Boston homes, not just older homes. Radon is found both in homes that are well sealed and homes that are drafty, with or without crawlspaces and basements. In 2019, let’s forget the idea that only certain Bostonan have a high radon levels!
Knowing radon levels is a good apartment landlord policy.
Even if your Boston Beacon Hill home is an investment and you don’t live in it, whoever does live there is just as vulnerable to radon exposure. As the homeowner, having radon levels checked in 2018 is the responsible thing to do, especially if you haven’t done it recently.
More data is needed for Boston condo buyers
Several Massachusetts counties, including Suffolk (Boston) have implemented requirements that newly constructed homes include radon mitigation. Enough homes in these counties were tested and found to be a high radon risk that lawmakers decided to act. Keeping the tests coming will ensure that future generations will not have to worry about this silent killer!
Boston condo buyers: Have we mentioned lung cancer?
In 2019, radon will contribute to or cause 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States alone, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Boston condo buyers: Radon awareness is growing.
Boston Home buyers in 2022 will be asking about radon mitigation — so make sure you can use this as a positive selling point! Talk to your real estate agent today about how taking measures to mitigate radon in your home might attract more offers when you put it on the Boston real estate market.
