Specialty inspection
Radon Testing for Phoenix-Area Home Buyers
Radon testing is the only way to know how much radon is inside a specific home, because radon is invisible, odorless, and varies from house to house, even next-door neighbors can measure very different levels. Our team places a radon measurement in the lowest livable level under closed-house conditions and reads the result against the EPA action level, so you learn what is actually in the home you are buying, not what a map predicts. It is a focused add-on to your inspection, measuring one hazard well instead of guessing at it.
Why it matters
The stakes for the buyer
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, and the second leading cause overall, yet it gives no warning: no smell, no color, no irritation you would notice. You cannot predict a home's level from its age, its price, the neighborhood, or a neighbor's test, because the number depends on this home's soil, foundation, and how it draws air from the ground beneath it. For a buyer, the closing table is the cheapest moment to find out. A test now costs far less than a mitigation system you did not know you needed, and it gives you real numbers to act on before the home is yours.
What the inspection covers
What our team looks at
Lowest livable level placement
Your inspector positions the radon measurement in the lowest level of the home that is or could be lived in, because that is where soil gas concentrates and where a reading matters most.
Closed-house conditions
The test depends on windows and exterior doors staying closed except for normal entry and exit, so the result reflects everyday lived-in conditions rather than a house aired out to pass.
Measured concentration vs the EPA action level
The result is reported in picocuries per liter and compared to the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L, the point at which the EPA recommends fixing the home, with 2 to 4 pCi/L flagged as worth considering.
Device placement and interference
Placement is kept away from drafts, exterior walls, direct sun, and high heat or humidity, and off the floor at breathing height, so the measurement is not skewed by its surroundings.
Test duration for your timeline
The measurement runs for a defined minimum period so it captures a real sample rather than a single moment, and it is scheduled to fit a real estate contract's inspection window.
Radon entry pathways in this home
Your inspector notes how soil gas can reach the living space, through foundation cracks, slab penetrations, construction joints, sumps, and crawlspace contact, which helps explain a result and points a mitigation contractor to the right fix.
Tamper and disturbance during the test
The device and its conditions are checked for signs of interference, such as a moved unit or opened windows, because a disturbed test window can invalidate the reading.
How it works
On the day
Radon testing works by measuring the gas over time rather than in a single instant. A radon measurement device is placed in the lowest livable level of the home, closed-house conditions are established and kept for the test period, and the device stays undisturbed for a defined minimum duration set by the measurement protocol. When the test window closes, the device is collected and the reading is interpreted against the EPA action level, then written into a clear report that states the number, what it means, and the recommended next step. If a result comes back elevated, the standard path is a follow-up confirmation and, where needed, a radon mitigation system installed by a mitigation contractor, not a reason to walk away from the home.
Bob is amazing. He is not only thorough in his inspections but goes above and beyond to make sure the inspection is done in a professional manner and is there to protect his customers!
Straight about scope
What this covers, and what it does not
- Radon testing measures the gas, it does not remove it. Lowering an elevated result is a separate job for a mitigation contractor, not part of the test.
- A radon test is a screening snapshot, not a permanent guarantee. The number reflects the placement, the closed-house conditions, and the window it was taken in, and levels can shift with seasons, weather, and how the home is lived in.
- A radon result is not a medical diagnosis or personalized health advice. It tells you a concentration to act on, not what it means for any individual's health.
- Radon testing is not a full home inspection. It covers one specific hazard and does not evaluate the home's structure, systems, or other environmental concerns.
- A short-term test is not a long-term annual average. It is the accepted tool for a real estate timeline, but a longer test better reflects year-round exposure.
Questions
Common questions
What radon level is considered dangerous?
The EPA recommends fixing a home at 4.0 pCi/L or higher and suggests considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L. There is no level of radon known to be completely risk-free, so lower is always better, and the action level is a practical threshold for deciding to mitigate rather than a hard line between safe and unsafe.
My neighbor's house tested fine, do I still need radon testing?
Yes, because radon varies from home to home and a neighbor's result does not predict yours. Two houses on the same street can measure very differently depending on each home's soil, foundation, cracks and penetrations, and how it draws air from the ground, which is why EPA zone maps are planning tools and testing the specific home is the only way to know its actual level.
What happens if the radon test comes back high?
An elevated result is a solvable problem, not a reason to lose the home. Radon is routinely lowered with a mitigation system, usually sub-slab depressurization installed by a mitigation contractor, and because you learned the number before closing you can negotiate the fix, request a retest, or plan the work as an informed buyer instead of finding out later.
Add Radon Testing to your inspection
Tell us about the property and what prompted the concern, and you get a quote back. Residential inspections start at $285.