Radon Testing

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that seeps up out of the ground and collects inside buildings. You cannot see it or smell it, and the only way to know your level is to measure it. Multnomah County reports local levels running roughly twice the national average.

Verispec has inspected property across the region for more than ten years. Patrick Tolbert holds Certified Master Inspector credentials and worked as a licensed contractor beforehand, which is useful here because how a house is built and sealed has a lot to do with what it reads.

Testing is handled in-house rather than subcontracted, so it runs alongside your inspection instead of requiring a separate company and a separate appointment. Pricing is published online and every inspection is backed by a money-back guarantee. Testing is available anywhere in our service area.

We Test. We Do Not Sell Mitigation.

Nearly every company that comes up when you search for radon testing here also installs mitigation systems, and a mitigation system is a multi-thousand dollar job. That is a difficult position to be neutral from.

Verispec does not install them. We place the device, collect the reading, and give you the number. If it comes back low, that is the whole report, and there is nothing further we would like to sell you.

Levels Vary Street by Street

Radon comes from the soil and rock under a specific building, so results are highly local. Two houses on the same block can read very differently depending on foundation type, how the house is sealed, and what is underneath it.

This is why a neighbor's result, a county map, or a previous owner's test from six years ago is not an answer. Maps show where testing is advisable. They do not tell you what your house reads.

How Testing Works

1. The device is placed. In the lowest livable level of the house, positioned away from drafts, exterior walls, and anything that would skew the reading.
2. Closed conditions are maintained. Windows and exterior doors stay shut for the duration, apart from normal entry and exit, or the result understates the true level.
3. The test runs its minimum period. At least forty-eight hours for a short-term test, which fits inside a standard inspection contingency.
4. You get the reading in writing. The measured level and what it means relative to the action threshold, with no recommendation attached to a product we sell.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a radon test cost?

Less than almost anything else you will spend money on during a purchase, and considerably less when added to an inspection you have already booked. Verispec publishes pricing online so you can see it before booking.

Is radon actually a problem in this area?

In parts of it, yes. Multnomah County reports radon levels roughly twice the national average and advises testing any home or apartment with a basement or ground-floor living space. Levels vary street by street, which is why a neighbor's result tells you very little about your own.

How long does a radon test take?

A short-term test runs a minimum of forty-eight hours with the house kept under closed conditions. That timing fits inside a normal inspection period, which is why most buyers run it alongside the inspection rather than separately.

Do you install mitigation systems too?

No. Verispec tests and reports the number. A mitigation system is a multi-thousand dollar installation, and most companies offering radon testing in this market also sell that installation. We do not, so the reading you get is the reading.

Do air purifiers get rid of radon?

No. Radon is a gas that enters through the foundation, and filtering room air does not address it. Reducing radon means changing how air moves under and through the building, which is what a mitigation system is designed to do.

Should I test if the house has no basement?

Yes. Basements often read highest, but radon enters through any point of contact with the ground, including slab foundations and crawlspaces. A house without a basement is not a house without radon.

Ready to schedule your inspection?

Book online anytime or give us a call. Get a thorough inspection, clear answers, and the information you need to move forward.