Buying a Home
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Things to Consider When Buying a Home
A recent Health Canada survey found that 7% of Canadians live in homes with high RADON levels.
While all homes contain some amount of RADON, what matters most when buying a home is:
- How likely it is that the RADON level is high, and
- How much it would cost to reduce it if needed.
Every Home Can Be Fixed
If you’ve fallen in love with your dream home - don’t worry.
Every home can have its RADON levels reduced.
After you move in, you can test for RADON during your first heating season. Once the long-term RADON test (91+ days) is complete, you’ll know your home’s average RADON level and whether mitigation is needed.
Before You Buy
If you’re unsure about testing before purchase, CARST has developed a Radon Screening Assessment Guideline to help estimate how likely a home is to have elevated RADON levels. This short-term assessment provides a quick indication - and once you move in, you can follow up with a long-term test for confirmation.
Do I Need to Worry About Newly Built Homes?
New homes are not RADON-free.
While some newly built houses include RADON-resistant features, these do not guarantee that RADON levels will be low.
Testing is ALWAYS recommended when moving into or occupying a new home.
In Ontario, new homes are covered under the Tarion Warranty Program, which provides free RADON mitigation if levels exceed Canada’s guideline of 200 Bq/m³ within the first seven years after construction.