Radon in a Pennsylvania home sale

What happens with radon in a Pennsylvania home sale?

If the home has been tested, the results must be disclosed when it's sold. PA DEP says buyers often ask whether a home has been tested, and whether high levels were reduced. Sales happen quickly, so DEP's advice is to test, keep the results, and fix a problem before it can hold up the sale.

What should sellers do?

PA DEP's guide says:

• Test for radon and save the results in case the buyer asks for them.
• If there's a problem, fix it so it won't complicate the sale.
• If your home has a radon system, tell buyers and give them information on how it works and is maintained.

DEP also says that where radon problems have been fixed, home sales have not been blocked or frustrated.

What should buyers do?

DEP says buyers often want a test done by someone who isn't involved in the sale, and may want levels checked in areas the seller wouldn't otherwise test, like a basement they plan to finish. You can hire a certified radon tester serving York County.

Where the test goes matters. DEP says the buyer will probably base their decision on the level found in the basement.

How is the test done quickly?

PA DEP says two short-term tests can be used to decide whether to mitigate in a sale. They can run at the same time, side by side, four inches apart. The closer their average is to 4 pCi/L, the less certain you can be about the year-round level.

What if a system goes in during the sale?

In Pennsylvania the installer must make sure the home is tested afterwards. PA DEP says that test must be within 30 days of the install, and no sooner than 24 hours after the system is running. The rules say it must last at least 48 hours.

What about a new home?

DEP says to ask the owner or builder whether a new home has radon-resistant features, and to test it after you move in even if it does. See building a new home to keep radon out.