Q. Should a 4.9 Radon Test Result Be Mitigated?

Q. Hey Mark, I’m selling my home and the buyers inspector did a radon test. The result was 4.9, and they said I had to have a mitigation system installed. That’s not very high. Why do I have to have it fixed? Bob A. Hey Bob, Technically, there are no federal laws that require you [...]

Q. How Can I Know Homeowners Didn’t Tamper With Radon Test?

Q. Hey Mark, We are trying to move from Texas to Wisconsin and found a home. We had the typical inspection and radon test performed. There were numerous semi- minor issues but a few bigger ones. Radon at 5.7, tree roots growing into the sump pump crock, etc. In our contract we did not give [...]

Q. Are Home Inspections Necessary for New Construction?

Q. Hey Mark, I have a contract on a house that is new construction. It will be completed soon and a friend told me that I should have it inspected before we close on the house. It seems that since everything is new, there would be no reason to spend the money on an inspection? [...]

Q. How Do I Repair a Cut Joist in the Attic?

Q. Need some help. My niece recently had a home inspection done to sell her home. The inspector noticed that one floor joist which lined directly up with the plumbing stack had been cut from day one over forty years ago. She bought the house last year and is now moving. The joist was spliced [...]

Q. Do I Have Vermiculite Insulation? (Bankrupcy Claims)

Q. Hey Mark! We live in Las Vegas, NV and have lived in our home for 14 years.  Our home was built in 1978. The only reason I am becoming more aware of Vermiculite Insulation, is because I saw an ad on TV the other night that stated there is some type of Class Action [...]

What Really Matters…

Hey Readers, I had an experience during a recent inspection that got me thinking about buyers’ expectations for their home inspection. How can you know what your home inspection will include? Every individual who is hiring a home inspector should ask their inspector what “standards” he or she follows during an inspection. For example, I [...]

Test Your Home for Radon! (My Personal Experience)

I am always very concerned when a home buyer declines having a radon test during their home inspection. I’m genuinely uneasy about the potential health repercussions of that decision. For me, I think it strikes particularly close to home for two reasons. One reason is that my wife’s grandmother, a non-smoker, passed away from lung [...]

Q. Were the radon test canisters left too long?

Q. Hey Mark, The buyers of a home I have listed hired a company to do a radon test. The test came back a little high (4.9). I’m concerned about the test because they used canisters, and they left them in place from Wednesday through Saturday. Wouldn’t this increase the radon levels in the canisters [...]

How to Improve Radon Test Results

Hey Readers, Occasionally, I’ll take a look at the types of internet searches that bring folks to this page. I’ve recently noticed some people who found www.HeyMark.info via a search similar to the title of today’s post. ‘How do I improve a radon test?’ My first thought was one of shock. On the surface it [...]

Q. Vermiculite Insulation — Does It Have Asbestos?

Hey Mark, The home I am selling has vermiculite insulation. The buyer’s inspector said that it is asbestos, and now the buyers want me to remove all of it. That’s going to cost over $10,000.00. Is that really necessary? Sue Hey Sue, Vermiculite insulation MAY contain asbestos. You can have some samples taken from various [...]