Radon Testing Services

Wisconsin EPA Radon Map | House Detective Home Inspections Radon Testing ServicesHouse Detective provides electronic radon testing services, and we are able to provide radon testing with or without a residential home inspection or commercial property inspection. A radon test is separate from the routine home inspection, but can be conducted in conjunction with a home inspection. A radon test is inexpensive and having the test can provide peace of mind as you consider the purchase of a new home or property.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive substance which can cause lung cancer, and is odorless, tasteless and colorless. House Detective professionals can determine whether radon is present in your home, and can provide recommendations for eradicating the presence of radon if it is discovered. We provide you a written report with testing results. An electronic radon test is a safety measure for you, your family, your tenants or your employees as you purchase a new home or commercial property. Knowing this critical information about your property can provide peace of mind about the potential dangers of radon.

Electronic Radon Testing Services is also available. See below and in Potential Hazards for more information about Radon and its potential health risks.

When to Test for Radon Levels in Your Home

The EPA recommends that all residences below the third floor level be tested for radon. In addition, the EPA also recommends testing all rooms in contact with the ground in schools. If you have tested your home, you should retest every two years since radon levels can change with structural changes in the home. If you decide to use a lower floor of your home, such as a basement, you should test this level before occupancy. In addition, you should always test prior to the purchase of a home.

Short Term Radon Testing Services in Southeastern Wisconsin

This is a 2-day test in which an electronic radon monitoring device is left in the basement of the home. After a minimum of 48 hours, the results are available immediately. If possible, the radon monitoring device is set up before the inspection so that the results can be given at the home inspection.

Long Term Radon Testing Services in Southeastern Wisconsin

This is a 3-month to 1-year test in which a long term canister is left in the basement of the home to get results for a longer term. This gives a better average of the radon levels over a long period of time. The canister is picked up after a predetermined time and sent to a lab. The results are given to the customer within a week of pickup.

What is Radon?

There are many facts about radon you should know before you buy a home.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive material that is found in many areas of the country. Home buyers looking to buy a home are often advised to invest in a radon inspection test. It’s relatively inexpensive, but it is a separate test from the general home inspection.

The radioactivity of radon is related to thousands of lung cancer cases annually. Think you can detect radon yourself? It is odorless, tasteless and colorless. Only a professional trained in radon testing services can tell you if radon is present in a home.

Electronic Radon Testing Services

Electronic Radon Testing Services by House Detective is the best way to learn if you need to protect your family against radon exposure.

Schedule a Radon Test

What if radon is found in your home? There are radon reduction systems that are proven to effectively eliminate nearly all indications of the hazard. Also, many of the newest homes are now being built with radon-resistant features.

Other Potential Hazards in Your Home Inspection

Mold / Mildew

Mold and Mildew in Basement Home Inspection | House Detective | Southeast WisconsinMold and mildew exist in many environments on the planet. Typically we think of mold growing on old food. We simply throw it away and think little of it.

Mold and mildew are types of fungi. In the realm of home inspections many people consider mold and mildew to be near the bottom on the list of important problems. But in the last decade or so studies have revealed that an increasing number of people are affected medically by mold and mildew spore in the air they breathe. Not only that, mold and mildew are a serious threat to your home’s health.

A Certified Master Home Inspector will inspect areas of your home that are often conducive to mold growth. Spaces such as damp basements and crawlspaces, around plumbing and foundations, in bathrooms are very common areas where fungi can grow. Mold and mildew grow in environments where there are ample amounts of moisture, even inside walls where there is inadequate ventilation. Moisture can exist in and around a home for a number of reasons: humidity and leaks being the most prominent.

A professional home inspector’s report will disclose potential incidences of mold and mildew. These are indication of moisture that can not only harm the structure of your home, but also affect you and your family’s overall health. The House Detective home inspector will recommend testing by a qualified mold specialist in these cases.

Asbestos

Asbestos Testing Home Inspection | House Detective Certified Master Inspector

While the word asbestos has become synonymous with health hazards, there are many materials that contain this material. Just because asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACM) exist within a structure, does not mean they are an immediate health hazard.

Asbestos becomes a health hazard when the material containing the fiber is disturbed—launching particulate asbestos fibers into the air you breathe. The reasons outdated ACM are removed from many structures is the danger of deterioration that also results in asbestos becoming airborne.

Asbestos is no longer used in new construction. If your home inspector suspects that asbestos containing materials may be present in your home, he might recommend a specialist conduct an in-depth asbestos inspection.

Vermiculite, a material used for insulation and gardening products, can contain harmful asbestos. In recent years more and more information has become available on vermiculite.

Lead

Lead Testing Property Inspection | House Detective Certified Master Inspector

There are a number of different ways in which lead can be introduced to your home and family. Lead can be present in outdated paint materials which chip and peel. Lead can also be present in your family’s drinking water. Typically lead does not exist in the actual water source—municipal or well—but leaches from the walls of lead plumbing pipes. During a general home inspection an inspector might observe what appears to be the existence of lead pipes or lead-based paint. In such cases he might recommend further testing by a qualified specialist.

Like asbestos, lead paint becomes a health hazard when the material containing it is disturbed. For this reason many home inspectors will advise you against removing old paint yourself until you test it for lead. The EPA states that most homes and residential structures built after 1978 are lead-free. For home buyers looking at homes built before 1978, there are legal disclosures you are qualified to receive regarding any existence of lead-based paint in the home.

Lead ingestion can affect your child’s health over time. For this reason agencies like the EPA and HUD make educational materials on lead poisoning readily available.