Radon Action Month

Did you know that radon levels are highest in homes between October and April, when most British Columbians have their windows closed tight?   

Radon is an invisible, odourless gas that can be harmful when it seeps into a closed space like a house. When radon decays, it gives off tiny radioactive particles that can damage the cells that line the lung. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in B.C. and Canada, preceded only by smoking.

November was Radon Action Month, and BCFSA would like to remind real estate licensees to review BCFSA’s Radon Precaution Guidelines to ensure you are advising your sellers, landlords and strata corporation of the importance of radon testing and disclosures.  

The Importance of Radon Testing 

If you are a trading services licensee with a buyer or tenant as a client it’s a good idea to ask the seller/landlord or listing agent if a radon test of the property has been completed, and if so, to request a copy of the results. Potential buyers/tenants won’t discover radon levels through pre-purchase/lease inspections as testing takes three months to complete.

Radon concentration is measured in Becquerels per cubic metre, or Bq/m³. If you learn from your seller or landlord client that the home has been tested for radon and levels exceed 200 Bq/m³, this constitutes a material latent defect, and you must disclose this information to potential buyers or tenants. The seller is obligated under common law to disclose the defect to potential buyers or tenants. Additionally, the listing agent or real estate licensee must also disclose the material latent defect to potential buyers or tenants, unless the seller or owner of the rental property has already made that disclosure via a Property Disclosure Statement (“PDS”). Refer to BCFSA’s guideline on Material Latent Defects for more information about how to discuss and disclose a defect with clients.  To facilitate the disclosure, the seller can use a property disclosure statement, such as the one developed by the BC Real Estate Association, which has questions about radon.  

One out of every six B.C. homes records radon above 200 Bq/m³. The usual remediation for radon is drilling holes in the ground outside the home to provide the gas an escape route.

Take the time to inform yourself on radon to help ensure you and your clients are protected. For more information, watch our webinar with Dr. Pearson.