Property Guidance Inspection

For my Illinois realtor and home inspector friends, a heads-up that radon mitigation systems will be getting more expensive and in some cases by a lot. A couple of reasons: the number of licensed mitigators went down from 151 to 139 (-19), and a new law will take effect soon that changes the requirements for mitigation systems. All foundations must be included and there are requirements for crawlspaces. A new law will likely take effect in late 2025 or early 2026.

I did my first commercial radon test. It was for a non-profit that serves adults with disabilities. They were having it done as part of an overall environmental assessment. In the past I’ve gotten 1-2 calls a year for commercial jobs and I’ve referred them to full-time radon testers. But since home inspection work is slow, I asked a few questions to see if it would work for me to do it. This facility was one level on a slab foundation and just under 4,000 square feet. It is not used on weekends, so we set the test at the end of the day Friday and I picked it up Monday morning before clients arrived. There was a programmable thermostat, so I asked that the temperature stay consistent for the test. The level was just over the action level. They’ll need to do mitigation.

I received a request for an inspection from one of two daughters that are inheriting their mom’s house. The client is considering buying her sister’s half of the house and wants to get an idea of condition. This is only the third inspection I’ve done for heirs or family. This client is also having me inspect the home that she lives in now, to be able to compare both reports as part of the decision. This is a first. At the risk of sounding self-serving, that is pretty smart.

The Vintage Home Show is coming up on Saturday, March 4!🏡 Liz and I will be there with a booth.

Attend seminars, visit vendor booths, and ask experts about home renovation questions all within Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

For tickets and more information visit

The Vintage Home Show VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE 2022 EVENT HERE! ***** Saturday, March 4, 2023, 1-5pm Welcome to our second annual Vintage Home Show! Famous for its architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway, Oak Park is the perfect location for designers, contractors and artisans to

Companies that make radon testing equipment for professionals are starting to sell monitors for home use. Here are a couple of them. AirThings Corentium Home is compact, uses batteries, and can hang on a wall. Cost is $150 on their website. RadonEye from Ecosense can connect via bluetooth to a smartphone app. It doesn’t use batteries and sits on surface so there are fewer options for placement. Cost is $174 on their website. Both of these show radon levels in my basement that are consistent with my professional equipment. They are easy to reset, so they could be loaned out to family and friends.