EPA Radon Testing Recommendations
Radon is a natural radioactive element, invisible noble gas, and its periodical chart symbol is Rn. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it. It is an invisible, colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that may be an undetected problem in your home, buildings and exists in every home or building. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, water and natural construction and building materials, such as Granite, stones and gravel. As Uranium breakdowns, it produces a byproduct called radon gas.
The EPA, Department of Health and other health related organizations have always recommended that all homes and buildings be tested for radon gas regardless of area or risk level. Areas of risk only gives a sense of what a likely result could be. However, that does not mean high levels are not in those zones and testing is the only way to confirm if you have an elevated level of radon.
HUD Radon Policy
In 2013, HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) Office of Multi-Family Housing issued a new policy that is designed to reduce the number of radon-induced lung cancer deaths in the United States. It requires that all multi-family homes, as well as FHA-insured construction, in medium to high risk areas be tested for radon and remediated as needed.
The policy mandates and specifically asks that a radon test report be submitted with all mortgage insurance applications and must be included with the application. This report is to be produced from the direct supervision of a licensed / state certified radon professional, in accordance with specific and explicit protocols. All reports must include the results of any testing performed, regardless of pass or fail. The proposal of any remediation and mitigation that will be required to satisfied and reduce the elevated levels of radon to acceptable heathy living ranges and the timing of such remediation efforts. To follow HUD requirement’s, all radon reports must be signed, dated and certified by a State licensed radon professional.
The HUD policy states that when required, radon mitigation must also be performed under the supervision of a certified or licensed radon professional in existing homes as well as in new construction in medium to high risk areas. The new HUD policy follows the EPA recommendation for radon mitigation in homes and buildings with elevated radon concentrations at or above 4.0 pCi/L.
All homeowners, investors, tenants, landlords, construction companies, property managers, and buyers of FHA insured new construction should always obtain the services of a state licensed professional environmental contractor.
We at Granite Inspection Group are State licensed and certified environmental professionals who can aide you in your radon related concerns. We are HUD approved radon professionals and experts. We can perform the required and necessary compliance for all radon testing and mitigation services to ensure your healthy environment. We are a locally owned and operated, New York based company familiar with all local, county, state and national guidelines.
I’m interested in more on the HUD policy on Radon Testing and Reporting.
New HUD Lean 232 Requirements for Residential Care/Assisted Living Facilities
As of January 2017, HUD has released new standards for radon testing and mitigation for all new loan applications, as well as other transactional requests for existing Section 232 projects for residential care/assisted living facilities. Like FHA insured construction and for multi-family homes, these new requirements state that a radon report must be provided and that the report must be signed, dated and certified as to its compliance with the requirements by a state licensed / certified radon professional. The radon professional must be state licensed and/or certified with either the New York State Dept of Health (NYSDOH), the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) or American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST). All radon testing and mitigation must be performed by a State licensed and/or certified NYSDOH, NRSB or AARST Radon Professional.
Granite Inspection Group is a state licensed and certified New York State Dept. of Health (NYSDOH) Radon Testing Laboratory, Radon Mitigation Service provider and an active member with NYSDOH, NRSB and AARST!
Mitigation Requirements
When a test is performed by a state licensed and certified professional and the results of the radon test shows levels to be at or above 4.0 pCi/L (picocuries per liter), then the applicant must either mitigate in 100% of ALL ground level units/rooms or test 100% of ALL ground level units/rooms.
We at Granite Inspection Group understand all the guidelines and complexity of these new requirements. We want to ensure that all residential care/assisted living facilities are in a safe living and healthy environment. We are HUD approved on a local, state and national level in meeting and exceeding in the new radon testing and mitigation requirements for all HUD, FHA, VA Programs.
I’m interested in more on the HUD policy on Radon Testing and Reporting.