On average, a single-family home inspection usually takes 2-4 hours to complete, though this is heavily dependent on the of the size and condition of the home.

What happens at the end of a home inspection?

After the inspection process, the inspector will send the client an inspection report (often within 24-48 hours) that covers their findings, complete with pictures, analysis and recommendations.

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No waiting for mail-in laboratory results. Our report is printed on the job site with our printer. The hourly results are printed on a report showing overall and EPA protocol averages.

The explanations of these averages are on your report followed by Bar Graphs, starting and ending dates, and the number of hours tested. This information is then attached to a one-page report with additional explanations.

All equipment used is from Sun Nuclear and are tamper evident. If the equipment is moved, a “T” for tampering will print on the tape and show the hour it was tampered with; also a “P” for power failure. The Monitor has a battery backup that will keep the unit working for 20 hours in the event of a power failure.

What You Should Know About Radon

How Radon Enters A Home

Source: Radon is a gas that is constantly being created from the decay of naturally occurring uranium and radium in the soil. Radon that is created in the soil can find its way to the surface and either enter the atmosphere or your home.

Pathways: As a gas, radon acts just as air does. It freely moves through the open spaces in the soil. These open spaces can be as small as the space between individual particles of dirt in the soil. The larger the particle size of the soil the larger the open spaces will be (e.g. gravel versus sand) and therefore it will be easier for radon to move up through the soil. These open spaces provide the pathways for radon to move from its source in the ground (the natural deposits of radium) and into your home. Pathways for radon migration into your home may be through the soil below or through cracks and crevices in the soil. Piping trenches and drainage systems that were installed during your home's construction can also be entry pathways.

House Vacuum: To make matters worse, your home creates a vacuum on the soil beneath it and virtually sucks the radon out from the soil along with other soil gases.

What is Radon

For billions of years, a very common type of uranium has been gradually changing into radon gas. The uranium, which is found in small amounts everywhere in the soil beneath our houses, does not move out of the soil. (See picture). However, the uranium changes into radon gas, which is free to move up out of the soil and into the air above. When the radon makes its way into the outdoor air, it mixes with the vast amount of fresh air in the atmosphere and is usually diluted to relatively low levels. However, when the radon enters your house through the basement floor, crawl space or slab flooring, it can build up inside your house to levels far in excess of that found outdoors.

The occupants of a home with elevated levels of radon will breathe the radon gas. But, believe it or not, breathing radon is not the main concern. The real culprit of the “Radon Story” are the small particles created by radon as it continues to radioactively change. These radon decay products are continuously produced by the radon in the air inside the home. It is these radon decay products that cause the damaging health effects when breathed in.

How does radon decay products cause lung cancer?

The radon decay products are very small particles. Since they are made in the air inside the home they tend to float in the air and can be breathed into the lungs. Many of the radon decay products then stick on the walls of the air passages leading to the lungs and to the lung tissue itself.

Two of these radon decay products are especially troublesome: polonium 218 and polonium 214. It happens that these two particles release a high speed particle called an alpha particle. When this alpha particle, which is a small atomic “bullet”, strikes lung cells, the cells can be damaged. The damaged cells, in turn, may become changed in a way that can eventually turn them into cancerous cells.

At present, the only known hazard from breathing radon (or actually, the decay products of radon) is an increased potential of developing lung cancer. No other health effect has been directly traced to radon, although lung cancer is bad enough. There is no current evidence that breathing radon causes asthma, allergies, colds, flu or other respiratory illnesses.

Why should you reduce the radon in your home?

Radon is ranked as a “Group A” carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This means that it is known to cause cancer in humans. At the present time, the only known health hazard coming from breathing radon decay products is lung cancer. As you would suspect, the higher the concentration of radon (and radon decay products) in your home, the greater is your risk of developing lung cancer by breathing the air in your home.

Remember, any level of radon presents some risk and reducing relatively low levels of radon will provide a benefit. It is possible to lower radon levels to below 1 or 2 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). This would significantly reduce radon as a concern for your home. Another way of thinking is to ask ourselves the questions: “How much radiation would I or my family like to be exposed to?” If the answer is none, then you already understand the benefit of reducing radon in your home.

Who says radon is a health hazard?

The US Environmental Protection Agency says in A Citizens Guide to Radon you should fix your home if your radon level is 4 pico Curies per liter or higher.

The US Surgeon General Health Advisory states: “Indoor radon gas is a national health problem. Radon causes thousands of deaths each year. Millions of homes have elevated radon levels. Homes should be tested for radon. When elevated levels are confirmed, the problem should be corrected.”

From Radon: A Physicians Guide, the American Medical Association writes regarding the evidence of radon health risks...“Epidemiological studies of thousands of uranium and other underground miners have been carried out over more than 50 years in five nations including the US and Canada. These studies provide convincing evidence that exposures to radon and its decay products are associated with an increase in lung cancer mortality. The risk of lung cancer is directly proportional to the level and duration of exposure. For example in one study, miners with cumulative exposures of 30 WLM (one WLM is equivalent to an average exposure of 200 pCi/L for 170 hours) had an increased mortality from lung cancer. Similar exposures might result from people living in homes with average radon levels of 4 pCi/L for about 40 years, assuming 75% occupancy. In addition to the mine data, radon and its decay products in experimental animals cause lung cancer.”

The conclusion that radon is a serious risk is supported by several other respected organizations, such as:

• The American Lung Association
• The National Academy of Sciences
• The World Heath Organization
• The National Council on Radiation Protection
• The National Environmental Health Association
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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What's a home inspector's goal?

The home inspector’s goal is to leave their clients with a deeper understanding of their prospective home, so the client can make a sound decision as they continue their home buying process.

What should you know when having a home inspected?

You should be fully aware of any issues, risks, or health concerns that may impact the client’s decision.

What is your inspector's role?

The inspector’s role is not to tell the clients if they should buy the house or not, but to help the clients understand the current condition of the property.

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What could a home inspection find?

A home inspection may identify the need for major repairs or builder oversights, as well as the need for maintenance to keep it in good shape. Through the home inspection process, homebuyers will have a better understanding about their prospective house, which will allow them to make decisions with confidence.

When does a homeowner need an inspection?

If a homeowner is planning to sell their home, a home inspection can give them the opportunity to make repairs that will put the house in better selling condition.

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What is a part of a home inspection report?

The standard home inspector’s report will cover the condition of the home’s

• heating system
• central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
• interior plumbing system
• electrical system
• the roof
• attic and visible insulation
• walls
• ceilings
• floors
• windows and doors
• the foundation, basement and structural components

It is important to note that there may be some exceptions.

If certain areas are inaccessible (locked door, tenant’s belongings in the way) or unsafe conditions (severely steep roofs, poor structural integrity) the inspector will explain the situation and note that they were not able to assess that specific area or system.

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Homes made before 1978 may have been painted with lead based paint.

How are lead paint inspections conducted?

For example: Stephen M. Cook holds license #I-1189 for lead paint inspections and License #R-1189 as a Lead Paint Risk Assessor. Steve uses the latest RMD x-ray fluorescence lead paint analyzer for non-destructive testing of painted surfaces.

How do I find out if my home has been tested for lead paint?

To find out if your home has been tested for lead paint by a licensed lead inspector or a state inspector, go to: https://eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us/leadsafehomes/default.aspx

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program:
We recommend you search by Town and Street address only (leave off the street number).

• https://www.mass.gov/orgs/childhood-lead-poisoning-prevention-program
• 250 Washington StreetBoston, MA 021081
• (800) 532-9571

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Well water testing is part of Massachusetts law

Founded in 1995, but ran before that for more than 30 years, Analytical Balance Corp. is a laboratory engaged in environmental and microbiological testing. This work is conducted in accordance with the specific statutory requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, Massachusetts Division of Water Supply, Mass.

Well water testing is taken seriously

Department of Environmental Protection, Mass. Dept. of Public Health, Mass. Contingency Plan, local Boards of Health, etc. Analytical Balance Corp. is deeply committed to a detailed program of quality assurance and quality control.  The quality of a laboratory's product - it's data - is the most important element in the operation of a laboratory.

How accurate is well water testing?

The quality control aspects of the laboratory's operations assist in determining if the individual analysis has been conducted with adequate precision and accuracy, while quality assurance helps to confirm that all the quality control objectives have been met. Analytical Balance is dedicated to the presentation of only high quality, defensible data.  

How is accuracy determined?

This is accomplished through a continuous program of analysis of additional samples such as multiple standards, laboratory fortified samples, reagent and dilution water blanks and analysis of duplicates (where applicable).  

In addition, this involves the continuing maintenance and calibration of instruments used in the analyses.

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However, due to numerous telephone calls on this subject, we have added these links to our website to assist you in finding the proper answers to your questions.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/index.html

http://www.asbestos.com

http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/articles/cancer-resource-mesothelioma.htm

Protect Your Family from Asbestos-Contaminated Vermiculite Insulation.

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Imperial Inspection Services will start performing mold  inspections the week of June 12th. In the meantime, we have added this link to assist you in finding the proper answers to your questions: http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html

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Radon Risk the primary concern about indoor radon gas is the increased risk of lung cancer that exists from breathing radon and its byproducts.

The magnitude of the risk depends on

Radon gas is a serious national concern. The risk of radon-related lung cancer increases the longer you are exposed, although any exposure to radon poses some risk.

Testing for radon in the air you breathe should be a high priority and the first step for anyone concerned about radon gas.

The US Surgeon General, US EPA, AARST and the American Lung Association recommend that all homes be tested for radon gas.

Radon Sources Including Granite

Soil, sand, and rock underneath the home are the primary sources of indoor radon gas. The soil under a house always contains traces of uranium that eventually decays into radium that then decays directly into radon.

This soil constitutes: an enormous surface area for release of radon gas into the air and into buildings.

Materials inside a building such as: concrete, granite, slate, marble, sand, shale and other stones can also contain traces of radium that release radon with varying intensities.

While natural rocks such as granite may emit some radon gas, the subsequent levels of radon in the building that are attributable to such sources are not typically high.

Appropriate Radon Testing Methods

Direct measurements in a building of the gamma radiation or radon emanation from a material, such as granite, is not a reliable indicator of radon concentrations that will be in the air you breathe.

Attempts to use such measurements for estimating risk are subject to large errors due to the:

• Wide variability of radon emanation rates across the surface of granite.
• Significant variability in ventilation rates from home to home and room to room.
• Volume of space that the building material is contained in.

Practical Diagnostic Test

Diagnostic measurements of the radon in the air you breathe can provide better risk estimates.

Perform a radon measurement according to testing protocols (specified by EPA or AARST as noted below) in the lowest level (or lived-in level) of your home.

At the same time, perform another test in the room where the granite countertop or other suspect building material exists.

Place the test devices at least 20 inches off the floor according to testing protocols and at least 20 inches away from the countertop or suspect material. Carefully follow all manufacturers' test kit instructions.

If any of the test results are at or above the EPA recommended action levels, retest these areas to confirm the initial results.

Interpreting Radon Test Results

For guidance on test results and protocols for measurements of radon in the air, see documents such as EPA's Citizen's Guide to Radon or other EPA publications at http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs.  

Other information and publications for measuring radon in the air for home and multifamily dwellings can also be found at http://www.aarst.org.

Reducing Radon Concentrations

The best approach to reduce radon in the home is to install an active soil depressurization system (ASD) and reduce the entry of radon coming from the soil. In some cases, increasing the entry of outdoor air to the home is an appropriate method to reduce radon levels by dilution and improve indoor air quality.

Both of these methods require a qualified radon mitigation professional to design and install the appropriate radon reduction system.

Only in extreme cases would removal of the granite be necessary to reduce the radon concentration, assuming appropriate measurements confirm it as the significant source.

In Conclusion

This statement was provided by the Science and Technical Committee of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST).

This statement was prepared by AARST professionals with no external funding or other support.  The sole purpose of this statement is educational and to reduce lung cancer deaths from elevated concentrations of indoor radon.

For More Information, Contact:

Peter Hendrick, Executive Director AARST
14 Pratt RD Alstead, NH 03602
(603) 756-9259
director@aarst.org

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This page is brought to you by the Radon Information Center (radon.com).

There are 3 possible sources of airborne radon in households:

• Soil gas
• Water supply
• Building/construction materials

Although soil gas is generally recognized as the largest natural source of radon in homes, the water supply can contribute a significant fraction. In fact, in certain homes the water supply has been shown to be responsible for essentially 100 percent of the elevated levels of airborne radon. Additionally, the localized concentration of radon released from water during showering or similar activities can be extremely high.

Water vs. Air Radon Concentration

Waterborne radon concentrations are generally much higher than those found in air. The unit picocuries per liter (pCi/L) is used to express an amount of radon per liter of air (or liter of water in this instance). Until recent years, the levels at which these concentrations became a cause for concern were thought to be very different for the two media. Ingestion of radon through drinking water was not considered to pose a significant health threat until the levels reached several hundred thousand pCi/L. Recent experimental work, however, suggests the number of fatal cancers from radon ingestion in drinking water may be significant. Although the uncertainty of this work is large, it has raised the possibility that radon ingestion may represent a major pathway for risk when stomach cancer is included in the risk analysis.

It takes relatively high levels of waterborne radon to result in significantly elevated levels of airborne radon. This is due to the partial transfer of radon from water to air and, more importantly, the relatively small volume of water used as compared to the large volume of diluting air inside the home. Some researchers have determined that. On Average, 1 pCi/L of airborne radon will result from the normal use of a water supply containing 10,000 pCi/L. Whereas this number is only an average and is subject to extreme variations, it does illustrate the large difference in the significance of water and air concentrations. It is important to explain this consideration to the homeowner, as it is sometimes difficult to convince a person to be concerned about 10 pCi/L in the air when the water supply contains 10,000 pCi/L.

Water to Air Radon Transfer

Levels of radon observed in household well water supplies range from near 0 to over 1 million pCi/L. Using the assumption that 10,000 pCi/L in the water will add 1.0 pCi/L to the overall accumulation of airborne radon in the home, it takes a waterborne radon level of 40,000 pCi/L to result in the EPA guideline level of 4 pCi/L in the air.

It takes relatively high levels of waterborne radon to result in significantly elevated levels of airborne radon. This is due to the partial transfer of radon from water to air and, more importantly, the relatively small volume of water used as compared to the large volume of diluting air inside the home. Some researchers have determined that. On Average, 1 pCi/L of airborne radon will result from the normal use of a water supply containing 10,000 pCi/L. Whereas this number is only an average and is subject to extreme variations, it does illustrate the large difference in the significance of water and air concentrations. It is important to explain this consideration to the homeowner, as it is sometimes difficult to convince a person to be concerned about 10 pCi/L in the air when the water supply contains 10,000 pCi/L.

Water to Air Radon Transfer

Levels of radon observed in household well water supplies range from near 0 to over 1 million pCi/L. Using the assumption that 10,000 pCi/L in the water will add 1.0 pCi/L to the overall accumulation of airborne radon in the home, it takes a waterborne radon level of 40,000 pCi/L to result in the EPA guideline level of 4 pCi/L in the air.

However:

• The 10,000:1 ratio is not valid in all cases
• Water is rarely the only contributor to the airborne radon level
• The conditions at a specific household may dictate concern about levels significantly lower than 40,000 pCi/L of radon in its water supply
• Levels far greater than the whole house average can be found in areas of hot water use, such as showers, laundry rooms etc.

The amount of radon transferred from water to air is a function of:

• The waterborne radon level
• The amount of water used
• The type of water activity, e.g., shower (high transfer) vs. running water in a sink (low transfer)
• The water and air temperatures

Radon in Drinking Water Analytical Methods

Liquid scintillation has an obvious advantage over de-emanation: its low labor requirements are consistent with the fact that typical commercial liquid scintillation counters are designed for automated sample processing. This is an important consideration for the implementation of the future radon rule, since it increases the ability of a laboratory to handle larger sample loads and it decreases per sample analytical costs.

The liquid scintillation method has been published in the 19th edition of Standard Methods(3) as method "7500-Rn". This method was collaboratively tested at radon concentrations of 200 and 400 pCi/L. It requires: a minimum of fifty minutes counting (detection) time, a maximum of four days sample holding between collection and analysis, and on-site sampling using standard glass liquid scintillation vials with teflon (TFE) or foil-lined caps.

In 1991, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed both liquid scintillation (1) and de-emanation (2) as analytical methods for radon in drinking water. This choice was based on the following factors:

• Reliability of the methods to detect and measure radon in water over a range of concentration including the proposed Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 300 pCi/L
• Specificity of the methods to detect radon in water in the presence of potential interferences
• Availability of equipment and trained personnel
• Potential of the methods to quickly measure radon in water consistent with anticipated data quality objectives
• Potential of the methods for routine use, consistent with the anticipated sample load
• cost of analysis.

Radon Removal Methods

Radon removal water treatment methods for individual households should be point-of-entry devices that treat the entire water supply, rather than point-of-use devices that treat only the drinking water. This is because the water used for non-drinking purposes contributes the most radon to the air.

There are 3, basic, water treatment methods that could be used to remove radon from water supplies:

• Decay storage
• Aeration
• Granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption/decay

Decay Storage

Decay storage is typically a good method, but is impractical for both space and cost reasons. GAC generally is very effective at removing radon from water, but it suffers from gamma emission problems and eventual disposal problems related to the accumulation of the radioactive radon decay products. Aeration is also an effective approach, but generally more mechanically complex and requires more maintenance than GAC. Decay Storage One approach to reducing radon levels in water would be to hold water in a storage reservoir, and allow radon to decay prior to use. This actually occurs to a varying extent in public water supply storage reservoirs. Since radon has a half life of 3.8 days, after 27 days, 99% of the radon originally present would have decayed. On the average, a person uses approximately 60-100 gallons of water per day in the home. For a typical family of four, that amounts to 240-400 gallons per day, or, 6400-10,800 gallons for 27 days. A tank this large is normally considered impractical and extremely expensive for 99% removal. If low levels of removal are needed, 50-70%, storage may be practical.

Aeration

In the same way as radon can easily de-gas from water sprayed during use of a shower, spraying water into an enclosed tank with air blowing through it can affect a controlled separation of radon from water. This process occurs inside of a tank at atmospheric pressure. Therefore, a pump is required to increase the water pressure; such that the water can be delivered throughout the house. Basically, variations of aeration systems involve different methods of contacting air and water.

The four approaches are:

• Spray: where water is sprayed into a tank with air blown upwards and out to a vent and discharged into the atmosphere.
• Diffused Bubble: where a reservoir of water is held and air is injected below the water and bubbles up through the water. He air leaving the surface is then discharged to the outside.
• Packed Column: where water trickles down through a large pipe or "column" that contains loosely filled material (packing). The water forms a falling film on the packing which increases the surface area for de-gassing. Simultaneously, air is blown into the bottom of the column so it can rise through the column and sweep the de-gassed radon away.
• Shallow Aeration: where water is allowed to pass over a plate or tray inside a tank. The tray has perforations in it that allows for air to be blown up through the water on the tray, thus affecting the air/water contact.

Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC)

Activated carbon canisters are widely used devices for determining the radon in air by virtue of the fact that radon can be adsorbed onto and held in the pores of the activated charcoal. Similarly, when water containing high concentrations of radon is passed through a bed of activated carbon the radon is adsorbed onto the carbon, thereby affecting a separation of radon from water.

Once the radon has been collected onto the carbon, it is held there long enough for the radon to continue through its normal decay chain. In essence, the radon is trapped in the carbon bed and its decay products are also firmly held in place. Carbon style filters, when used for removal of other organic contaminants, exhibits what is referred to as "breakthrough" (when the bed becomes fully loaded with the contaminant, and it can be no longer removed). Because the radon on the bed is constantly breaking down, this loading or breakthrough does not occur. This allows carbon units to operate until they become plugged with contaminants, rather than becoming saturated with radon.

A significant advantage of this technique is that the carbon beds are within pressure tanks that allow for easy insertion into the water supply to the house, without the need for a pump or pressure tank to deliver the water to the point of use. The major disadvantage is the amount of gamma radiation that emanates from the tank due to the radon decay products that have been trapped in the bed from the decaying radon.

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Did you find out what you needed to know? Get Started booking your very own home or commercial inspection at Imperial Inspection Solutions, the #1 place for Home inspections in Massachusetts.