Radon Addendum

[David C. Macy]

I recently performed a radon test & was sent an addendum due to variances in the humidity. The reason was that heavy storms and high winds where prevelent while the test was running.

The levels where around 3.0 & then dropped to less then 1.0

So, know I need to re-test.

The seller isnt responsable as he didnt violate the protocal, The buyer shouldnt have to pay for another test.

I use radalink and there is a $25 dollar per fee per test.

Fortunetly the buyer doesnt need right away for real estate purpose or mitigation.

I also have a Sun Nuclear monitor & I decided I would test when she moves in. Probably in December.

So it wll cost me about 2 hours drive time & gas.

Wanted to ask how others would handle this scenerio.

[Andrew Rook]

I would retest it on my dime.

If you have some time to play with, try to schedule the test when you are going to be in the area. If you don't go to the area too often, consider contacting another inspector that is near the house and see if they will conduct a test for a nominal fee as a favor to you.

Either way, the buyer will be appreciative and it may come back ten-fold and if it doesn't you still did the right thing.

What would you expect if you were the buyer?

Food for thought.

Andrew Rook
Rook Home Inspections LLC
www.rookinspections.com

[Nick Gromicko]

That is one of the problems with radon testing: http://www.nachi.org/dear_nachi3.htm

[John Lerch]

Hey David... I watch the weather forecast and explain to clients when the test time needs to be adjusted due to adverse conditions. I'll schedule to start radon test prior to or at the end of the home inspection to accommodate. In some cases the contingency time was extended to ensure an accurate result. If needed to schedule outside the home inspection time frame I charge the additional $'s for added travel.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

I don't understand the problem, Dave. I don't pick optimum weather conditions during which to test, I just set the monitor. The weather changes all year long. If they want a more accurate reflection of the annual radon levels in the home, they need to do a long-term test.

I can see how a storm might effect air pressure, which might effect the amound of radon gas coming out of the earth, but how does humidy effect the results (I use the Sun Nuclear)?

[David A. Andersen]

Has anyone read the EPA protocol?

Retesting is only required if he reading is above 4.0 pCi/l.

If the client wants retesting done, then they can pay for it. I don't drive two hours, exhaust radon testing equipment and donate my time because the weather was not suitable for testing.

High winds, low temperatures, frozen ground, snow elevate radon levels. Seeing as your results was 3.0 pCi/l, additional testing will only go down.

So if the client wants a better test, first (as posted ) a long-term test should be conducted outside of the real estate transaction of 48 hours.

I got into this retesting thing where someone wanted me to retest, retest and retest until the level came down below 4.0. Well, guess what? They all have to be averaged together and one low reading will not out average all the other high readings.

[Bernie Katz]

I have been teaching Radon Testing for 4 years now for ESA and I thought I should give you a direct quote from the EPA's Indoor Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurement Device Protocols. This states nothing about what your count was when you aborted the test - these counts are not the parameters. Here is the quote
"Short-term tests lasting just two or three days should not be conducted if severe storms with high winds (e.g., > 30 mph) or rapidly changing barometric pressure are predicted during the measurement period. Weather predictions available on local news stations can provide sufficient information to determine if these conditions are likely. "

Hope this helps.