Originally Posted By: rwills This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Brian,
Radon obviously depends where you are located. Here in Pa, I would say that 90 to 95% of my home inspections also include a radon test. Even though it took a bit of time and money to get certified, it was well worth it. Here, I even get quite a few calls for radon testing only.
Originally Posted By: thauswirth This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
In my opinion, I think the media has something to do with this. When Radon was the hot topic in real estate it was around the time studies were released linking Radon to lung cancer and the federal government was looking into setting standards. The media of course started reporting this and built public awareness.
Mold is now being more thoroughly researched and health affects are being discussed. I believe the federal government is researching mold and discussing whether or not standards can be set. We are also building homes tighter than we were when Radon was the hot topic. This causes more indoor air quality concerns and has been linked by some to the increase in mold problems. The media is of course reporting all this.
So media hype is a double edged sword. Though it educates the public and may increase the speed at which legislators craft standards and regulations, it also causes higher levels of anxiety in buyers and sellers. Legal cases involving mold also help heighten anxiety.
Mold is not as easy an issue to set testing standards for as compared to Radon. Mold takes many forms and encompasses many organisms. Its health effects are also varied and the reaction to it vary widely. Even though I am a Certified Residential Mold Investigator, I currently do not test for mold. I inform and educate my clients if I see it is present and then tell them about testing options. I will probably not do mold testing until some defensible standards/levels are set at the federal level.
