If you bought a newer home in Iowa, you may have noticed a pipe running from the basement up through the roof. On many newer Iowa homes, that pipe is a passive radon system - though not every pipe is, so if you are not sure what yours is, ask your builder or have it looked at.
Radon is a gas in the soil that finds the easiest way into your home - cracks in the foundation, a sump pit, a floor drain. Iowa sits in the EPA’s highest zone for radon, so this matters here more than in most places.
A passive pipe is one approach to radon mitigation - it gives the gas an easier escape route up and out through the roof instead of into your basement. But passive alone may not bring levels down enough, and having the pipe does not mean your home is safe. Only a radon test tells you that. If a test comes back elevated, a qualified radon professional can tell you the right fix - sometimes that is adding a fan to the existing pipe, which usually costs far less than retrofitting a whole system on the outside of the house, but let the pro make that call.
Either way, test your home. It is the only way to know.
Questions about your home, or thinking about buying or selling in the Des Moines area? Call or text me at 515-313-7103.
Scheib Real Estate Team | REAL Broker LLC