A home inspection tells you about the house you can see. Two of the most common add-ons we offer tell you about things you cannot see at all: the air in the lowest level of the home and the water coming out of the tap. If you are buying in Moore County or the surrounding Sandhills counties, both are worth thinking about before your due diligence period ends.
Radon: an invisible gas from the ground
Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally in soil and rock. It has no colour, smell or taste, and it can build up inside homes, especially on the lowest lived-in floor. The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends fixing a home when radon is at or above 4 picocuries per litre (pCi/L), and suggests considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
Radon levels vary from one house to the next, even on the same street, so a test is the only way to know what a particular home has.
How a radon test works
We place the test in the lowest level of the home that is used as living space and set it up when we do the inspection. The house needs to be kept closed up during the test, with windows shut and doors used only for normal coming and going. A short-term test generally runs for at least 48 hours, after which we collect it and you receive the result in writing.
What if the result is high?
A high result does not mean you should walk away. Radon mitigation systems are a common fix, and the cost of installing one is often negotiated with the seller. The key is to test early enough that there is time to get a quote.
Well water: nobody else is testing it
In town, your water usually comes from a public system that is tested regularly. Many homes outside the town centres in Moore, Richmond, Hoke and Scotland counties get their water from a private well instead, and nobody tests a private well unless the owner does.
How we test well water
We collect a water sample at the home during the inspection and send it to a laboratory for analysis. A lab test is far more reliable than a home test strip, and the written results are something you can keep for your records and share with your lender if they ask for a water test.
When the results come back, we will help you understand them. If something needs attention, the next step is usually a conversation with a water treatment professional or a well contractor.
Book both with your inspection
Radon and water results both take a few days, so the best time to order them is when you book your home inspection. That way everything is set up in one visit and the results arrive inside your due diligence window.
You can add radon testing and laboratory water testing when you schedule online, or call or text us and we will set it all up for you.
