The One Test Every Home Inspector Recommends (That Most Homeowners Skip)

When people schedule a home inspection, they're usually thinking about the big-ticket items like the roof, the foundation, and the furnace. Radon testing often gets treated as an afterthought, something you can add on if you want to, but not something most people ask for by name.

That's a mistake, and it's one I see often enough that I wanted to write about it directly.

What Radon Actually Is

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It's completely odorless and colorless, which means there's no way to know it's in your home just by walking through it. It seeps up through the ground and can enter a house through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, or sump pits — anywhere air can move from the soil into your living space.

The EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General estimate radon contributes to about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. every year, making it the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked. It's the kind of risk that doesn't announce itself. There's no smell, no stain, no sound. The only way to know if it's present — and at what level — is to test for it.

Why It Gets Skipped

A few reasons come up again and again:

It's invisible, so it doesn't feel urgent. Compare that to a cracked foundation or a leaking roof — problems you can see and understand right away. Radon has no visual cue, so it's easy to assume it's not worth worrying about.

People assume their area isn't affected. Radon levels vary a lot based on local geology, and homes just a few miles apart can have very different readings. Here in the Upper Peninsula, our soil and bedrock composition means radon is a real and common concern, not a rare exception.

It gets bundled as an "optional add-on." Because radon testing isn't always included in a standard inspection package, it's easy for buyers and homeowners to decline it without fully understanding what they're opting out of.

Why I Recommend It as Standard, Not Optional

I look at radon testing the same way I look at testing for mold or checking a furnace's carbon monoxide output — it's a basic health and safety check, not an upgrade. A house can be freshly painted, well-maintained, and pass every visual inspection with flying colors and still have elevated radon levels. Looks and air quality are simply not connected.

The test itself is straightforward. A short-term test can give you a preliminary reading in a few days, and if levels come back elevated, a mitigation system can bring things back into a safe range. It's a manageable problem once you know it exists — the hard part is knowing to look for it in the first place.

What This Means If You're Buying, Selling, or Just Staying Put

If you're buying a home, radon testing should be part of your due diligence, right alongside the general inspection. If you're selling, testing ahead of time means no surprises during negotiations. And if you're not going anywhere, testing is still worth doing. Radon levels can change over time as a home settles, and it's not something you'd necessarily notice happening.

The Bottom Line

A home can look completely fine and still have a hidden air quality issue that only a test can catch. Radon is exactly that kind of problem — invisible, common, and serious enough that it shouldn't be treated as optional.

If it's been a while since you've tested, or you've never tested at all, now's a good time to change that. Reach out and we'll walk you through what the process looks like.