Ask Realest: Buying
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Should I test for radon when I buy a house in Northwest Indiana?
Yes. Indiana does not require a radon test when you buy, but the Indiana Department of Health highly recommends one, and the EPA says every home should be tested no matter where it sits on the map. Radon has no color and no smell, so the test result is the only way to know. Ask for it in your inspection window, while you can still walk away or negotiate.
The advice is the same in Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties. This is general information, not medical, legal or inspection advice.
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Why the county map is not enough
The EPA Map of Radon Zones ranks counties by how much radon homes there may have on average. The EPA says the map should not be used to decide whether a home gets tested, and it has found high radon in homes in all three zones.
Lake and Porter County sit in Zone 2, the moderate band, on the EPA Indiana map. A county band cannot tell you about one house, so the reading on the house you want is the number that counts.
What the number means
Results come back in picocuries per liter of air, written pCi/L. The EPA says to fix the home if the level is 4 pCi/L or higher, and to consider fixing it if the level is between 2 and 4.
Read the report with that line in mind before you decide what to ask the seller for.
How the test works in a purchase
The Indiana Department of Health radon brochure says a buyer may ask for a radon test as part of the home inspection. When you want an unbiased third party, the state recommends a licensed radon professional run it. Indiana requires residential radon testers to be certified by the state, and it keeps a list of certified testers and mitigators.
A real estate test needs closed house conditions. Windows and doors stay shut except for normal coming and going, and the heat or air can run as usual. The test runs at least 48 hours, with a continuous monitor or two short term kits set side by side.
The test goes on the lowest level of the house someone could live in. If the home has a basement and a crawl space, the state recommends testing over each one.
If the house was already tested
Ask the seller for the old report. The state brochure tells buyers to look at what level was found, how long the test ran and when it was done, then decide if that result is good enough.
The Indiana seller’s disclosure, State Form 46234, asks the seller about hazardous conditions on the property, and radon gas in the house or well is on that list. The form covers what the seller knows. It is not a test. Our answer on the Indiana seller’s disclosure covers when you get it.
If the reading comes back high
A high number does not have to end the deal. The usual fix the state brochure describes is a pipe and fan system, put in by a certified mitigator, that pulls radon from under the house and vents it outside. Retest after the system goes in.
Get a bid during your inspection window. With a number in hand, you can ask the seller to install a system, ask for a credit, or decide the house is not for you. Settle it in writing before your inspection deadline.
Where to read more
Our full guide, Radon testing in Lake County and Porter County, has a six step checklist to bring to your inspection. Radon belongs in the same days as the rest of your checks, so read our answers on the home inspection and flood insurance too.
Send us the address
Realest is based in Crown Point at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, and we help buyers across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland. We’re licensed in Indiana and Illinois. Send us the house you like, and we’ll build radon into your inspection plan before you write the offer.
Related
What should I watch for on a home inspection?, Do I need flood insurance to buy a house?, Do I need an Indiana seller’s disclosure form?, Radon testing in Lake and Porter County, Learn Buying, Ask Realest, Search homes for sale
Quick answers
Should I test for radon when I buy a house in Northwest Indiana?
Yes. Indiana does not require a radon test when you buy, but the Indiana Department of Health highly recommends one, and the EPA says every home should be tested. Ask for it during your inspection window.
Is a radon test required to buy a house in Indiana?
No. Radon testing and mitigation are not required in Indiana real estate deals, but the Indiana Department of Health highly recommends testing, and a buyer may ask for it as part of the home inspection.
What radon level is too high?
The EPA says to fix the home if the level is 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) or higher, and to consider fixing it if the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
How long does a radon test take when buying a house?
At least 48 hours. A real estate test needs closed house conditions and uses a continuous monitor or two short term kits set side by side on the lowest livable level.
Do Lake County and Porter County homes need a radon test?
Yes. The EPA puts Lake and Porter County in Zone 2, the moderate band, but says the map should not decide whether a home gets tested. High radon has turned up in all three zones, so test the house you want.
Sources: EPA Map of Radon Zones, EPA Indiana map of radon zones, Indiana Department of Health radon brochure, Indiana certified radon testers and mitigators, State Form 46234.
Found a house? Give us a call and we’ll put radon on your inspection list.
Search homes for sale
Call Pam (219) 801-0432
Call Sash (219) 808-1520
We’re the shop at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307. Love Thy Neighbor. General information, not medical, legal or inspection advice.