Real Estate Zealot

Ron Stadham of Front Range Radon educates homeowners about radon

BrokerIPTV: Today we are talking with Ron Stadham, the owner and operator of Front Range Radon and Ron, thanks for being with us. Glad you are here.

Ron Stadham: Thank you Dan for having me.

BrokerIPTV: You know lot of people when I first got in the business, I didn't know what radon is, where it comes from. Can you get us up to speed?

Ron Stadham: Sure. Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the soil. It starts as trace uranium 238 and as the decay process begins, it goes from uranium 238 to radium 226 to radon 222.

BrokerIPTV: Okay.

Ron Stadham: And we construct a home over this soil that contains trace uranium, the home can create negative pressure, drawing the radon up into it.

BrokerIPTV: So, does that happen anywhere in Colorado or is it unique to Colorado or do we see this in other states?

Ron Stadham: Trace uranium 238, the whole decay process occurs throughout the world. It is found almost everywhere.

BrokerIPTV: Okay.

Ron Stadham: It is just in some areas, it is greater than others. In Colorado, especially up down the Front Range, we have higher levels of radon in the soil than you may find in other parts of the country.

BrokerIPTV: What happens to people who are inhaling radon for lengths of time?

Ron Stadham: Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the nation next to cigarette smoking which is number one. So, it is very important that all of us test our homes for radon to find out what level we are at and if we are above 4 picocuries, then we do something about it.

BrokerIPTV: Most inspection companies when you do a regular home inspection ask if you would like to add on the radon test.

Ron Stadham: Everybody should test their home for radon. Know what the radon level is at least and then you can make... educate yourself and decide whether you want to do something about it. If you are above 4 picocuries which is the EPA's threshold, you should consider having a radon mitigation system installed.

BrokerIPTV: Some people go to local hardware store and get the test your home by yourself kit. Do those things even work?

Ron Stadham: Those kits are accurate if you follow all the directions, keep the house closed up tight, and the house should be closed up 12 hours before you do the testing, kept closed during the test. They are accurate now. After you have done a home test kit like that and you come back with an elevated level above 4 picocuries, you should probably consider having a qualified professional home inspector with more sophisticated equipment to come back in and retest again to make sure. Then, if you are still above 4 picocuries, then you need to start investigation a mitigation system.

BrokerIPTV: And when you say mitigation system, a typical remedy is vapor barrier ventilation fan. Is that correct?

Ron Stadham: Well, depending upon the home and how the home is constructed. If the home has no cross space, it is a lot easier. We do what we call a sub-slab depressurization system. There is no such thing as a home you can't fix the radon in. Every home is mitigatable. Some of the homes may get a little more involved than others, but there is always a remedy to fix radon in any home.

BrokerIPTV: Ron, thanks. Appreciate it. Good information.

Ron Stadham: Thank you.

Pre Listing Inspections Will Save Home Seller Time and Money

Broker IPTV: Today we are talking with Aaron Rath form Home Systems Data. They specialized in inspections. Thanks for being with us. How are you?


Aaron Rath: Thank you, Dan, thank you.


Broker IPTV: I want to talk about getting your home ready for inspections, because I often as the realtor go out and wonder if any of these sellers ever get their house ready for inspection, your response?


Aaron Rath: My response to that is basic things that we look for is maintenance, caulking, getting like the pre-list inspection done before, they even listing it. That's the biggest thing that way then you don't have any surprises that come up when you sell the house for your potential buyer or seller.


Broker IPTV: Right. How about issues specific to Colorado?


Aaron Rath: Well some of the stuff is specific to Colorado is we have some heaving soil, we got to be careful on that stuff. Once we starts seeing the side walk move and stuff like that let's preventive thing that we can do to help mitigate that. Caulking crack in concrete, stuff like that to keep the water form going down in there and no wonder time can making that bigger and drainage issues around Colorado goes along with this soil.


Broker IPTV: Radon is the big deal in Colorado and again it's mostly because of our soil, people I think are confused by this point. Well, the builder told me that there is a passive radon system in the house. Is that anything?


Aaron Rath: A passive radon system is, it's a basic ventilation system. It is not a true Radon mitigation system. It's helping, but it not a true system. The true system is where they come in and they drill a hole in the concrete floor in the basement, put a pipe in, run it out side and the fan outside and then it's dispersed though the air that way.


Broker IPTV: If you had the budgets say $5,000 bucks, to get your house rent. Where we would you spend?


Aaron Rath: My biggest recommendation to people of that is one would be give a Radon test, such going in and two would be drainage.


Broker IPTV: So start sloping thing away...


Aaron Rath: Sloping things away from the house.


Broker IPTV: Bring the rock in.


Aaron Rath: Right make sure that everything is slope the way, make sure we have the proper down spawn extension zone, four to five feet away from the home and then work on inside maintenance stuff.


Broker IPTV: let's say $10, 000 and the reason why I say this because concrete is the big issue in Colorado. I don't think I have ever seen the piece of concrete in Colorado without a crack.


Aaron Rath: Right.


Broker IPTV: So the question is, when do you replace it?


Aaron Rath: Well, the when you replace it, is when the crack is over an inch wide. Once that crack exceeds an inch, it's time to replace it, because than any water or anything, any amount of caulking is getting down inside, there is nothing you can about.


Broker IPTV: You are going to red flag that all day, right?


Aaron Rath: Yes.


Broker IPTV: Good information, thanks for being with us.


Aaron Rath: Thank you, Dan.


Broker IPTV: I appreciate it.

Number One Avoidable Home Inspection Problem-Deferred Maintenance

Broker IPTV: We are talking today with Aaron Rath from Home Systems Data their specialized inspections. Aaron thanks for being with us, glad you are here. Tell me how did Home Systems Data get started?


Aaron Rath: Home System Data started 1985 by Brain Jones we are from home inspections company here in Denver metro area, including the Front Range and Mountains.


Broker IPTV: Now there is, obviously, a lot of inspection companies out there, how do you differentiate one form the other?


Aaron Rath: Well the way they differentiate us from all the others is we take, lot of pride in what we doing, we are very knowledgeable and that's our main thing is we are very knowledgeable inspectors, with us.


Broker IPTV: People look, they say an inspection is, inspection is inspection and there is standard stuff that supposed to be covered, what are some of the standard stuff?


Aaron Rath: The standard stuff that is covered, Dan, in an inspection is usually your roof, your furnaces, your water heaters, the structure of the home, plumbing, the electrical, sewer we do not do.


Broker IPTV: I am often, when I go out and see the inspector I always recommend we do the Radon test. Is that something that you recommend as well?


Aaron Rath: Yes, I recommended it for the same reason, it is been known that  EPA has come out, so that is a known cancer causing, and also it is the what they called "silent killer" now. The biggest thing what is the EPA has said standard of 4.0 pCi/L, anything above that they recommend mitigation on it.


Broker IPTV: All right, most frequent problem you run in to?


Aaron Rath: Radon and also drainage issues around the house


Broker IPTV: Foundation?


Aaron Rath: Yeah, grading around the house make sure that sloped away properly.


Broker IPTV: They do not have down spots, and...


Aaron Rath: That is right, No tip ups, they have water drain right next to the foundation.


Broker IPTV: They are not even aware of it.


Aaron Rath: Right.


Broker IPTV: Most avoidable problem?


Aaron Rath: Maintenance.


Broker IPTV: Maintenance?


Aaron Rath: Maintenance on the house. Routine maintenance is the biggest that we find is lacking in homes.


Broker IPTV: Painting?


Aaron Rath: Painting, the caulking,  the painting, grout, the grout around the tile, caulking around the sinks, stuff like that.


Broker IPTV: I have always amazed every time we do an inspection, how many people don't even change the furnish filter?


Aaron Rath: That is one of the other biggest thing too, is the filter, never changed and people don't understand. When I do an inspection, I always recommend that the filter be changed every 30 days, not every three months. Reason behind is because if you leave the 30 day one in for 30 days, take it out, the motor doesn't have to work as hard. The longer you leave the filter in three month once, the more harder do motor has to work in the unit. So, it shortens the life of the blower motor.


Broker IPTV: And an in the front. Aaron thanks, good information, I appreciate it.


Aaron Rath: Thank you.

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