Behind the New Radon Mitigation Compliance

In October, the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) will implement a new certification of special interest to home inspectors: Radon Mitigation Compliance Inspector (RMCI).

The role of this inspection is to verify whether an installed radon mitigation system complies with the latest version of ANSI-AARST SGM-SF Soil Gas Mitigation Standards for Existing Homes. It only applies where a system is present. The credential will include secure access to the RMC Inspection phone app; once you submit the required photos and complete the checklist, the app will generate a PDF report you can send to your client directly from the site.

NRPP-certified Measurement Professionals who perform radon tests on behalf of the homebuyer know sellers often hire a mitigator after being informed the radon report revealed an elevated radon concentration. Shopping for the lowest proposal price they can find, some sellers are focused on acquiring a post-mitigation test report below EPA’s Action Level and typically have no interest in the quality or safety of the installation. Besides receiving the post-mitigation report, purchasers who are so overwhelmed with everything else rarely pay further attention to the subject of radon or the mitigation system itself until well after closing.

Most of the complaints we receive at NRPP could have been prevented if a trained inspector had evaluated the installation and provided a detailed report to the buyer once the post-mitigation test was placed.

If You Perform Radon Tests

If you perform radon tests as part of your home inspection services, there is both a need and an opportunity to inform clients from the outset that if the radon test is elevated and the seller commits to having a soil gas mitigation system installed, they need you to return and perform an independent post-mitigation clearance test.

And, just as important, they need you to verify compliance with the ANSI-AARST SGM-SF Soil Gas Mitigation Standards for Existing Homes and provide a report identifying any deficiencies to be rectified prior to closing.

Since timing is always tight, they can have you complete the mitigation inspection quickly so the mitigation professional can be notified of any compliance issues well before the result of your post-mitigation radon test has come back.

Conscientious mitigation contractors are frustrated with the competitor who is uninsured, uses untrained installers, and cuts every corner to provide the lowest price in town. An increased likelihood of verification will motivate the corner-cutters to do the job right to begin with.

Indiana Pilot Program

AARST has been piloting a compliance enforcement program with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). Using funds from its State Indoor Radon Grant, the Department contracted with AARST to perform 60 site inspections of systems installed by state licensed mitigators. ISDH intends to use these initial findings as an opportunity to educate measurement professionals as to future expectations. Beginning in September, AARST will conduct another 100 site inspections for ISDH.

Indiana’s program regulates mitigators and measurement professionals by requiring certification by NRPP or the National Radon Safety Board and compliance with the ANSI-AARST standards. Adherence to the ANSI-AARST standards is also required by NRPP.

Effective July 2022, the new Colorado law (HB 21-1195) will also regulate mitigators and measurement professionals through certification by NRPP or the National Radon Safety Board and require that they follow the ANSI-AARST standards.

The other seven states that regulate radon professionals through private certification are California, Connecticut, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Utah, and Virginia—while Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia rely solely on in-state licensing.

* Both license and private certification required ~ Effective July 2022

Several other state radon program leaders have expressed interest in the Indiana pilot project. Radon program directors, along with radon professionals and other stakeholders, will be able to learn the results of the first round of inspections at the AARST International Radon and VI Symposium this October. AARST anticipates expanding the service to additional states and subcontracting with NRPP-certified Radon Mitigation Compliance Inspectors to perform the site verifications.

The Prerequisites for RMCI Eligibility are:

1. NRPP certification as a Radon Measurement Professional or Mitigation Specialist,
2. Completion of an NRPP-approved 8-hour RMCI Exam Prep Course,
3. Pass the 50–question RMCI certification exam.

The initial offering of the RMCI Exam-Prep Course will occur at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center (Rockville, MD) on Sunday, October 10, 2021, prior to the AARST International Radon and VI Symposium.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of ASHI. The information contained in the article is general and readers should always independently verify for accuracy, completeness and reliability.