What buyers and sellers in Manchester should know

Radon Testing When Buying or Selling a Home in Coffee County, TN

Radon comes up in almost every home purchase I help with, usually as a question during the inspection period. This guide explains what radon is, what the EPA recommends for buyers and sellers, how testing works on a tight contract timeline, what Tennessee's disclosure form asks and where Coffee County residents can get a free test kit.

Everything here comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the CDC and the Tennessee Code. This is general information, not legal, health or inspection advice. For your own home, talk with a qualified radon professional, the Tennessee Radon Program and, for legal questions, a Tennessee attorney.

What radon is

TDEC describes radon as a naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms in the soil and can enter homes through cracks and gaps. You cannot see, smell or taste it. The EPA says radon comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water, and that it can also enter a home through well water.

Any home can have a radon problem. The EPA lists new and old homes, well sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. The CDC adds that radon levels are often higher in basements and lower levels.

Why it matters for your health

The EPA guide quotes the U.S. Surgeon General's 2005 health advisory, which calls indoor radon the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. TDEC says the same thing: radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., after smoking cigarettes. The EPA says smoking combined with radon is an especially serious health risk.

The CDC says there is no known safe level of radon and that you should aim for the lowest level you can. For questions about your own health, talk with your doctor.

The EPA action level: 4 pCi/L

Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air, written pCi/L. The EPA's guidance is:

• Fix the home if the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher.
• Consider fixing if the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L. The EPA says levels below 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and in many cases can be reduced.

TDEC's radon page repeats that recommendation, with action between 2 and 4 pCi/L and immediate action above 4 pCi/L.

Radon in Coffee County and Tennessee

The EPA Map of Radon Zones sorts counties into three zones based on their potential for elevated indoor radon. The text version of the map lists Coffee County, Tennessee in Zone 2, which the EPA describes as moderate potential, where average indoor radon levels may be between 2 and 4 pCi/L.

That zone does not tell you anything about a particular house. The EPA says the map should not be used to decide whether a home needs testing, that homes with elevated levels have been found in all three zones, and that all homes should be tested. The EPA also says homes next to each other can have different radon levels, so a neighbor's result is not a stand in for yours.

Across the state, TDEC says elevated levels are more common in East Tennessee, but levels requiring immediate action have been detected in all counties.

If you are selling a home

The EPA recommends testing your home before you put it on the market and, if needed, lowering the level. Its guide says:

• Save your results and records. Keep test results and information about any steps taken to fix a problem. The EPA calls this a possible positive selling point.
• Expect some buyers to ask for a new test. The EPA says a buyer may ask for a new test if the last one is not recent, such as within two years, if you have renovated since, if it did not follow the EPA testing checklist, or if the buyer plans to use a lower level of the house than was tested.
• Test the lowest level that could be used regularly. That includes a lower level you do not use now but a buyer might use as a family room or play area.
• Fixing early gives you time. The EPA says it is better to correct a radon problem before listing, because you have more time to address it.

My prepare to sell checklist and how to sell a house guide cover the rest of getting ready.

Radon on the Tennessee disclosure form

Tennessee's residential property disclosure form, set out in TCA 66 5 210, asks the seller whether they are aware of substances, materials or products that may be an environmental hazard on the property, and radon gas is one of the examples named, along with asbestos, lead based paint, fuel or chemical storage tanks and contaminated soil or water. The seller answers yes, no or unknown.

The form asks about what the seller knows. It does not require a radon test. The same form says it is not a warranty and is not a substitute for any inspection the buyer may want. My seller disclosure guide explains who must give the form, when it is due and the exemptions. If you have tested, talk with me and your attorney about how to answer and what records to share.

If you are buying a home

The EPA recommends that you know the indoor radon level in any home you consider buying. Ask the seller for any radon test results, and if the home has a radon reduction system, ask for any information the seller has about it.

If the seller already tested, the EPA says to find out before you rely on it:

• What the results were
• Who did the test: the homeowner, a radon professional or someone else
• Where in the home it was taken, especially if you plan to live in a lower level
• What structural changes or heating, ventilation and air conditioning changes have been made since

If the home has not been tested, the EPA suggests contract terms that cover where the test will be placed, who will do it, what type of test, when it will happen, how the buyer and seller will share the results and any test costs, and when any mitigation will happen and who will pay for it. In Tennessee, your purchase contract sets your inspection period and what happens next, so read it closely. My home inspection guide explains why a standard Tennessee inspection report does not cover radon, and the earnest money guide explains when your deposit may be at risk.

If you plan to finish a basement or other unfinished area later, the EPA says to test before the project starts and again when it is finished.

Short term and long term tests

The EPA describes two general ways to test:

• Short term tests stay in the home from two to 90 days, depending on the device. The EPA says they are the quickest way to test, and in a real estate sale a short term test may be used to decide whether to fix the home.
• Long term tests stay in the home for more than 90 days. The EPA says a long term result is more likely to show the year round average, because radon levels vary from day to day and season to season.

Whether you test yourself or hire someone, the EPA says every radon test should run at least 48 hours, and some devices need longer.

For a home sale, the EPA guide lists three short term options:

1. Two passive tests at the same time in the same place for at least 48 hours. Fix the home if the average is 4 pCi/L or more.

2. One passive test for at least 48 hours, followed right away by a second identical test in the same place. Fix the home if the average is 4 pCi/L or more.

3. A continuous monitor for at least 48 hours. Fix the home if the average is 4 pCi/L or more.

The EPA notes that results close to 4 pCi/L are less certain, and that a real estate test should include steps to prevent or detect interference with the device.

Getting a reliable result

The EPA's Radon Testing Checklist for real estate tests includes:

• Closed house conditions. Keep windows closed and doors closed except for normal entry and exit. For a test of two to four days, start at least 12 hours before the test and keep it up for the whole test.
• Normal heating and cooling. Run the heating and cooling as usual, and for tests under a week, use only air conditioning that recirculates indoor air.
• The right spot. Place the device in the lowest level that could be used regularly, at least 20 inches above the floor, away from drafts, high heat, high humidity and exterior walls. The EPA says not to test in a closet, stairway, hallway, crawl space, kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or furnace room.
• No disturbing the device. The EPA says interfering with the test or closed house conditions may invalidate the result and is illegal in some states. Ways to prevent or detect interference include devices that record levels often, motion detectors, tamper proof seals on windows and a signed non interference agreement from the occupants.
• An existing system running. If the home has a radon reduction system, make sure the fan is working during the test.

If you do the test yourself, record the start and stop times and mail the kit back to the lab right away. TDEC adds that its kits should run for 3 to 5 days only and should be mailed back immediately, with postage prepaid.

Free radon test kits from TDEC

The Tennessee Radon Program, run by TDEC, provides free radon test kits and information to Tennessee residents. You can order a free radon test kit from the link on the Tennessee Radon Program page, or call the Tennessee Radon Program Hotline at 1 800 232 1139 with questions.

A home kit is a good way for an owner to check a home. In a sale, many buyers and sellers choose a qualified radon tester, and the EPA says such a tester can recommend a testing approach, explain the conditions to keep during the test and provide an independent result.

Mitigation basics

If a test comes back high, the EPA says high radon levels can be reduced, even very high levels. What it says about the fix:

• The usual method. In most cases a system with a vent pipe and fan is used. The EPA calls these sub slab depressurization systems and says they do not require major changes to the home. Similar systems can be installed in homes with crawl spaces.
• Sealing alone is not enough. Sealing cracks is part of most approaches, but the EPA does not recommend sealing alone, because it has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently.
• Use a qualified contractor. The CDC says lowering high radon levels takes technical knowledge and special skills, so rely on a qualified professional. TDEC points residents to the National Radon Proficiency Program professional search and the National Radon Safety Board directory to find certified professionals.
• Get estimates and check references. The EPA suggests getting more than one estimate and checking references, and asking the contractor for a detailed written proposal.
• Watch for a conflict of interest. The EPA says a potential conflict exists if the same person or firm does the testing and installs the system.
• Test again afterward. The EPA recommends a new test after mitigation, done by an independent, qualified tester, and retesting in the future to be sure levels stay low.

If elevated levels are found during a sale, the EPA says the buyer and seller should discuss the timing and costs of radon reduction. How that is handled depends on your contract, and I can help you work through the options.

Building or buying a new home

If you are building, the EPA says to ask your builder about radon resistant features, such as a gas permeable layer under the slab, plastic sheeting, sealed openings, a vent pipe to the roof and an electrical junction box for adding a fan later. The EPA says every new home should still be tested as soon as possible after you move in. My new home building guide covers the rest of the process.

Homes with a private well

The EPA says that if a home has elevated radon in the air and gets its water from a private well, you should have the water tested too, since radon can enter through well water. It says to test the air first. My guide to buying a home with a well explains water testing in Tennessee.

Radon steps at a glance

1. Ask the seller for any radon test results and records of any radon system.

2. Write your contract with clear terms for testing, timing and who handles any mitigation.

3. Choose a qualified tester or a lab tested kit, and test the lowest level that could be used regularly.

4. Keep closed house conditions and do not disturb the device.

5. If the result is 4 pCi/L or higher, get estimates from certified mitigation professionals, then test again after the work.

6. Keep my home buyer checklist and real estate glossary handy.

Keep reading:

• Home inspections in Tennessee
• Tennessee seller disclosure explained
• Buying a home with a well in Tennessee
• Buying a home in Manchester, step by step
• Prepare to sell checklist
• All Manchester guides

Fair housing laws protect every buyer and seller, and I work with every client the same way.

Buying or selling in Manchester?

I help buyers and sellers in Manchester and across Coffee County plan inspections, radon tests and repair talks so the closing stays on track. Call or text me at (615) 497 1658, or request my buyer guide below and tell me what you are looking for.

Common questions

Matt Sargent is a Tennessee licensed affiliate broker with Keller Williams who helps buyers and sellers in Manchester and Coffee County. Call (615) 497 1658 or send a message.