Should You Test for Radon Before Buying a House in Michigan?

Purchasing a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people make in their lifetime. The due diligence process that surrounds a home purchase — inspections, appraisals, title searches, disclosure reviews — exists precisely because buying a home means inheriting everything about it, including problems the previous owners may not have known about or may not have disclosed. Radon belongs in that due diligence conversation, and in Michigan, where no law currently requires sellers to disclose radon test results, the responsibility for raising the question falls squarely on the buyer.

The short answer to the question in this post's title is yes. Here is the longer explanation of why, and what to do with the results when you have them.

What Michigan Law Does and Does Not Require

Michigan does not require sellers to test their home for radon before listing it. It does not require sellers to disclose known radon levels to buyers. And it does not mandate radon testing as part of a real estate transaction. This puts Michigan behind neighboring states like Indiana, which requires disclosure of known radon hazards on its standard seller disclosure form, and well behind Minnesota, which has comprehensive radon disclosure requirements built into its real estate transaction framework.

What this means for a Michigan homebuyer is that you cannot assume a seller has any information about radon to share, and you cannot assume that silence on the topic means the home has been tested and found acceptable. In the absence of legal requirements, radon simply does not come up in many Michigan real estate transactions — not because it is not a concern, but because neither party is required to raise it.

Raising it yourself, as the buyer, is the straightforward solution.

Why the Timing of a Home Purchase Is Ideal for Testing

There is actually no better moment to test a home for radon than during the purchase process. Several factors converge to make it the ideal window.

You have legitimate access to the property for inspection purposes. Radon testing fits naturally alongside a standard home inspection — both involve bringing professionals into the home to assess conditions that affect its value and your family's wellbeing. Scheduling a radon test concurrently with or immediately following your home inspection adds minimal time and cost to a process you are already conducting.

You have negotiating leverage. If a radon test comes back elevated, you are in a position to negotiate before you own the problem. Options available to a buyer who discovers elevated radon during the purchase process include requesting that the seller install a mitigation system prior to closing, requesting a price reduction to cover the cost of mitigation, or in cases of significantly elevated levels, reconsidering the purchase entirely. Once you have closed on the home, those options are gone. The radon is now your problem and your expense.

You have time to make an informed decision. The inspection and due diligence period of a real estate transaction exists to give buyers the information they need before committing. Radon testing fits squarely within that framework — it is information about the home's condition that directly affects your family's health and the home's long-term value.

How to Request Radon Testing During a Purchase

In Michigan, radon testing during a real estate transaction is typically requested as a contingency in the purchase agreement. Your real estate agent can include a radon testing contingency that gives you the right to test the home and, depending on results, to negotiate or exit the transaction without penalty.

The testing itself follows the same professional process described in our post on what happens during a professional radon test — a certified technician places a test device in the lowest livable level of the home, maintains proper closed-house conditions for the required testing period, and submits the device to an accredited laboratory for analysis. In a real estate context, using a certified professional rather than a DIY kit matters particularly, because the result may be used in negotiations and needs to be defensible to all parties.

Timeline is worth considering. A standard short-term professional radon test requires a minimum of 48 hours under closed-house conditions. Coordinating this within the inspection window of a transaction requires some planning, particularly if the home is occupied and the sellers need to maintain closed-house conditions during the test period. Working with a radon professional who has experience in real estate transactions makes this coordination smoother.

What to Do With the Results

If the test comes back below 2 pCi/L, you can proceed with confidence that radon is not a significant concern in this home at this time. Retesting periodically after you move in is still a reasonable practice, as levels can change over time.

If the result falls between 2 and 4 pCi/L, the decision about how to proceed involves some judgment. This range does not trigger an automatic recommendation for mitigation, but it is worth a conversation about whether the home's characteristics — how much time your family will spend in the basement, whether you plan to finish a lower level, how long you intend to stay — make mitigation a worthwhile investment even at this level.

If the result is at or above 4 pCi/L, you have clear and actionable information. Mitigation is recommended, and you are in the best possible position to address it — before you own the home. Requesting that the seller install a system, or negotiating the cost into the purchase price, is a reasonable and common outcome when elevated radon is discovered during a transaction.

A Note on Homes That Already Have Mitigation Systems

If the home you are considering already has a radon mitigation system installed, that is generally a positive sign — it means a previous owner took radon seriously enough to address it. But it is not a reason to skip testing. Mitigation systems require maintenance, fans eventually age, and a system that was effective when installed may not be performing optimally years later. Testing a home with an existing mitigation system tells you whether the system is currently doing its job, which is the only question that matters.

At All Michigan Mitigation, we conduct radon testing for homebuyers throughout West Michigan and have extensive experience working within the timelines and requirements of real estate transactions. If you are in the process of purchasing a home and want to make sure radon is part of your due diligence, we are ready to help.

Visit us at allmichiganmitigation.com to schedule your test or reach out with any questions about the process.

All Michigan Mitigation is a West Michigan radon testing and mitigation company dedicated exclusively to helping homeowners understand and eliminate radon risk in their homes.