Radon test

[JohnnyC]

Hello,
What is the going rate for a professional radon test in your area? I know I
could get a $20.00 test at the borg, but I was thinking of a professional
testing place to do it. I live in New England.
..
I know there are all sorts of prices, etc. Just trying to get a general
idea.
thanks.

 

[hobbes]

Hello,
What is the going rate for a professional radon test in your area? I know I
could get a $20.00 test at the borg, but I was thinking of a professional
testing place to do it. I live in New England.
.
I know there are all sorts of prices, etc. Just trying to get a general
idea.
thanks.

Hi,

I went for the cheapest solution for a test. In New York, there is a
subsidized test kit from New York State. The laboratory you send the
cansiter too is also "OK-ed" by NYS. The New York State test is I thin
$US 6.75 per carbon canister. Includes the canister, lab costs and
postage.

Maybe your state also has such a radon testing program.

Best Mike.

 

[RBM]

Where do you get the NY State kit?

Hi,

I went for the cheapest solution for a test. In New York, there is a
subsidized test kit from New York State. The laboratory you send the
cansiter too is also "OK-ed" by NYS. The New York State test is I thin
$US 6.75 per carbon canister. Includes the canister, lab costs and
postage.

Maybe your state also has such a radon testing program.

Best Mike.

 

[willshak]

Where do you get the NY State kit?

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/radiological/radon/testkit.htm

 

[JohnnyC]

This all sounds very reasonable.
..
A local inspection company wants to charge me $150.00 for a two canister
test. That seemed a little steep, no?

 

[Caesar Romano]

Hello,
What is the going rate for a professional radon test in your area? I know I
could get a $20.00 test at the borg, but I was thinking of a professional
testing place to do it. I live in New England.
.
I know there are all sorts of prices, etc. Just trying to get a general
idea.
thanks.

Why go for the cheap when your life and the lives of your loved ones
are at stake? Get the best, not the cheapest.

 

[Edwin Pawlowski]

This all sounds very reasonable.
.
A local inspection company wants to charge me $150.00 for a two canister
test. That seemed a little steep, no?

If you don't want the $20 DIY kit, you have to pay for a pro. $150 is well
in bounds for what is done. Why not try the $20 test and see if you get a
positive first then decide if you should spend more?

 

[Caesar Romano]

If you don't want the $20 DIY kit, you have to pay for a pro. $150 is well
in bounds for what is done. Why not try the $20 test and see if you get a
positive first then decide if you should spend more?

If the cheapo test reads "acceptable", how will he know it's correct?
To verify he will have to get a pro.

If the cheapo test reads "unacceptable", how will he know it's
correct?
To verify he will have to get a pro.

Skip the cheapo and go directly to the pro.

Regards,
Caesar
B.S. Nuclear Engineering 1970
M.S. Environmental Science 1971

 

[clot]

Why go for the cheap when your life and the lives of your loved ones
are at stake? Get the best, not the cheapest.

I think we ought to step back a bit. Radon is not a major killer, though
proven to be a killer. Kits used by the user that are left in the
appropriate place for an extended period of time can be helpful. Short
term tests of less than a week can lead to ambiguous results. It is not
asbestos in the workplace (recognising sadly those that have suffered
from this form of exposure)- which has cost many dearly as a result of
the scaremongering, but is an issue in its own right that we should
address appropriately.

 

[Edwin Pawlowski]

If the cheapo test reads "acceptable", how will he know it's correct?
To verify he will have to get a pro.

Depends on your level of paranoia. Personally, I'd skip the test altogether.
If the cheap tes was a zero, I'd sleep well. If it was marginal, it may be
time to get a pro.

 

[trader4]

I think we ought to step back a bit. Radon is not a major killer, though
proven to be a killer. Kits used by the user that are left in the
appropriate place for an extended period of time can be helpful. Short
term tests of less than a week can lead to ambiguous results. It is not
asbestos in the workplace (recognising sadly those that have suffered
from this form of exposure)- which has cost many dearly as a result of
the scaremongering, but is an issue in its own right that we should
address appropriately.

I agree. I don't see why anyone expects that just because they pay
someone to come do the test, the accuracy is going to be any better
than the kit you can buy at HD. This isn't rocket science. The kit
is just a canister you put in the basement that absorbs radon and then
gets measured at a lab. Absent any investigation or proof of
certification of the lab, there is no way to know that the lab the
$150 guys sends it too is any better than the one the HD kit goes to.
In fact, it could be the same one. And I'm sure you can find info at
the test kit manufacturers website that explains the test, the
company, and their qualifications.

A lot of these tests are just done by home inspection companies as
part of a pre-sale inspection. And that's kind of funny, because
they put the canister in the basement. How does the buyer know the
seller doesn't just take the thing and move it to outdoors for a week?

 

[Phisherman]

On Oct 10, 7:56 pm, "clot" <[email protected]> wrote:

A lot of these tests are just done by home inspection companies as
part of a pre-sale inspection. And that's kind of funny, because
they put the canister in the basement. How does the buyer know the
seller doesn't just take the thing and move it to outdoors for a week?

Ahh, then the seller knows something that he/she is not revealing?
Tampering with an inspection? If caught, the seller may lose a sale,
or possibly be sued?

 

[JohnnyC]

Thank you to all who took the time to answer my question. Final
resolution...Professional company dropped off the canisters this morning.
$155.00 for the test. As a control test(more for curiosity), I also am
doing a borg test I bought to see how accurate those are as well.
..
Thanks again.
-JC

 

[trader4]

Ahh, then the seller knows something that he/she is not revealing?
Tampering with an inspection? If caught, the seller may lose a sale,
or possibly be sued?

Sure it's unethical and and they could be sued. I'm just pointing
out that it's very easy to do and there are plenty of unscrupulous
sellers out there that just might do it. And if you sued, if all the
evidence you had was that a subsequent test showed radon above an
acceptable level, I don't think you'd have a very good case without
any additional evidence that the seller either knew about a radon
problem or proof that they interfered with the test.

Actually, I'm surprised for home inspections they don't have a
canister that can be chained to something to keep it from being moved.

 

[trader4]

Thank you to all who took the time to answer my question. Final
resolution...Professional company dropped off the canisters this morning.
$155.00 for the test. As a control test(more for curiosity), I also am
doing a borg test I bought to see how accurate those are as well.
.
Thanks again.
-JC





- Show quoted text -

Please let us know how the results compared.

 

[Caesar Romano]

Thank you to all who took the time to answer my question. Final
resolution...Professional company dropped off the canisters this morning.
$155.00 for the test. As a control test(more for curiosity), I also am
doing a borg test I bought to see how accurate those are as well.

Please report back the results.

 

[clot]

Thank you to all who took the time to answer my question. Final
resolution...Professional company dropped off the canisters this
morning. $155.00 for the test. As a control test(more for
curiosity), I also am doing a borg test I bought to see how accurate
those are as well. .
Thanks again.
-JC

May I be the third to ask that you post the result, please?

 

[JohnnyC]

I will post the results. I should have them all in a couple weeks.
Thanks again to everyone who participated in this thread.

 

[willshak]

May I be the third to ask that you post the result, please?

I'll be the fourth to ask, although it would just be out of curiosity,
since your reading would have no significance for any of the rest of us,
unless we live in your neighborhood.
Someone here said that Radon was not a major killer, but a proven killer.
Well, It is only the second major cause of lung cancer after cigarette
smoking.
When you, or anyone in your family, are personally affected by any toxic
or dangerous material, it becomes "very" major.

 

[clot]

I'll be the fourth to ask, although it would just be out of curiosity,
since your reading would have no significance for any of the rest of
us, unless we live in your neighborhood.
Someone here said that Radon was not a major killer, but a proven
killer. Well, It is only the second major cause of lung cancer after
cigarette smoking.
When you, or anyone in your family, are personally affected by any
toxic or dangerous material, it becomes "very" major.

Wholly agree. That's the point I was making in my first reply; it needs
to be put in context.

You might be interested in:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/radioactivity/background/radon.htm