Radon tests for Minot home sales
With radon common across North Dakota, a test is part of many Minot inspections. Here's how to handle it on a deadline.
Buyers here range from Minot State University staff to families on assignment at Minot Air Force Base, about 13 miles north of the city. When a radon result comes back high during a sale, the usual outcomes are a system installed by the seller, a credit to the buyer, or a buyer who plans to handle it after closing.
Does North Dakota require a radon disclosure?
ND DEQ's radon materials don't describe a seller radon disclosure rule. For a Minot, Burlington or Surrey sale, ask your agent what your purchase agreement and inspection contingency say about radon, and treat testing as part of your own homework. The EPA publishes a Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon, which DEQ links from its radon page.
How is a sale test run?
A professional usually sets a continuous monitor in the lowest livable area, which DEQ's guidelines say is required for real estate tests. The house has to stay closed: exterior doors and windows shut starting 12 hours ahead, fans and dehumidifiers off, the furnace running normally. Opening windows or moving the monitor can skew the result, and many monitors record that kind of tampering.
Tips for buyers
- Ask who will run the radon test, what device they'll use and when you'll get the report.
- If there's already a system, check that the gauge shows suction and ask for the installer's paperwork and the most recent test.
- If the number is high, talk with your agent about asking for a system, a credit or a price adjustment.
Tips for sellers
- Test before you list so the inspection doesn't catch you off guard.
- If you install a system, keep the proposal, the post-install test and any warranty in one folder for buyers.
- A working system with a passing follow-up test tends to take radon off the negotiating table.
What if closing is close?
When you call, give the inspection deadline and the closing date. The radon company can tell you whether a test, a system and the follow-up test fit the window. Keep in mind the EPA says the follow-up test shouldn't start until the system has run for at least 24 hours.
We don't give prices. Each radon company sets its own after it knows the foundation, how many suction points the house may need and where the pipe can run, which usually means a visit. A figure you hear over the phone is a rough idea, not a quote.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Who pays for a radon system in a Minot home sale?
It's negotiable. Sellers often install one or give a credit after a high test. Your agent can advise.
Is a radon test required to sell a house in North Dakota?
ND DEQ's radon materials don't describe a testing requirement for sales. Check your purchase agreement with your agent.
Related services
More background: Minot radon guide.
Radon kit came back high, or your fan went quiet?
Call and we'll put you in touch with a radon company that works in the Minot area.