The California Geological Survey completed a study that produced a detailed radon map of Santa Cruz County.
The reason they conducted this radon study is because of the unique combination of granite rock and earthquake fault rupture zones found in this County.
The study found that more than half the homes (53%) in SC County have a potential of elevated levels radon gas inside that surpass the EPA’s limit for safe long-term exposure. This report is intended to offer guidance to homeowners living in these elevated Radon gas level areas on how to mitigate their exposure as well as raise public awareness about radon.
What is Radon gas?
Radon gas is a radioactive gas formed by the decay of small amounts of uranium naturally present in granite rock and soils. The gas rises out of underlying rock and soil and gets trapped in houses. Long term exposure to elevated levels of this gas has potential for lung cancer risk to those exposed. Heath studies have claimed that elevated levels of long-term radon gas exposure may be a leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Part of the EPA’s public awareness program recommends that buyers and sellers of real property mapped in a high potential radon areas evaluate their home. This is not a requirement as part of the home sales process.
The only way of knowing the level of radon in a home is testing for it.
Two adjacent homes can have completely distinct levels of Radon present depending on the type and age of building construction as well as the varying geology beneath them. Radon testing is straight forward for a homeowner and there are effective mitigation techniques available that can reduce levels to safe EPA standards.
As an agent representing the seller of a property, what is your professional responsibility? It is a required disclosure and is included in the GeoDisclosure natural hazard disclosure report. Providing a Combined Hazards Booklet which includes radon information is also recommended.
If a buyer is in contract and asks for a radon test. It can be done in two ways – a home do-it-yourself test kit that is available through your local hardware store, or, a more rapid and accurate test that can be performed by a certified radon tester, the latter being more expensive for obvious reasons.
For more information about testing for Radon gas, check out the Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon.
Chris has over 23 years of experience in Natural Hazard Disclosure reporting. GeoDisclosure has been a great success because Chris believes that having a responsive and reliable service is the number one.