You can't see it.
You can't smell it.
The only way you know if the levels are high in a home is through testing.

RADON is deadly and some areas of real estate in Maryland and Virginia have very high levels and it could be dangerous to live in homes with very high Radon readings. The EBP estimates that 1 in 15 homes has a high radon level. Radon is believed to be the second highest cause of lung cancer after smoking. Smokers living in a home with high Radon levels is deadly.

We have noticed high radon levels in the more northern areas of our market. Frederick County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Northern Baltimore County, Loudoun County, Fairfax County are particularly likely to have high Radon levels.

Awareness is important when considering whether to test or not to test. Homefinders.com does not believe that testing and remediation is necessary for the purchase of a home BECAUSE the cost of testing and remediation is not high compared to the possible cost of buying a home with a leaking roof or a failed foundation.

The cost of Radon tests in the Maryland and Virginia real estate market is approximately $160. The cost of remediation is approximately $1,000 to $1,500. So, although you would like to have the inspection and remediation performed before buying a home, the costs are not what would be considered a "deal killer". Many of our home buyers would prefer to negotiate price and not limit their other negotiation strategy by demanding a
Radon inspection and remediation by the seller.