Real Estate • August 15, 2025

Which home improvements bring the greatest ROI?

by Sara Dalicandro

When homeowners invest in renovations—whether preparing to sell or simply updating their space—they want to know that the money spent will increase their home’s value. But which home improvements actually deliver the best return on investment (ROI)? The answer may surprise you.

Many people assume that kitchen and bathroom renovations top the list. While keeping these spaces updated is always smart, high-end kitchen or bath remodels don’t generate the largest ROI. In fact, if you’re renovating specifically to prepare a home for the market, mid-range upgrades consistently outperform upscale remodels when it comes to recouping costs.

Exterior Improvements Deliver the Highest ROI

According to national studies, the most profitable home upgrades aren’t inside the home—they’re outside. Year after year, replacing the garage door ranks as the #1 improvement for ROI, with manufactured stone veneer coming in second. These projects boost curb appeal instantly, and buyers respond.

The data also shows that 11 of the top 12 ROI-driving projects are exterior or indoor/outdoor improvements, including:

New windows
Roof replacement
Deck addition
Siding replacement
Minor kitchen remodel (the only interior project in the top three)

These upgrades not only enhance appearance—they improve functionality, efficiency, and long-term durability, all of which buyers value.

Two Important Projects Missing From the List

Looking at the cost-versus-value chart, two impactful renovations are noticeably absent:

1. Basement renovation
Adding livable square footage almost always increases market value. Finished basements appeal to today’s buyers who want flexible space for offices, gyms, guest rooms, or play areas.

2. Refinished hardwood floors
Freshly refinished floors make a huge first impression and eliminate a major project buyers prefer not to handle themselves. It’s one of the most cost-effective cosmetic upgrades a seller can make.

Final Thoughts: Renovate Wisely for Maximum Value

Most home improvements will add value as long as they are not overly personalized or excessively high-end. A project necessary for accessibility—like a ramp—may not increase ROI, but it is still absolutely worth doing for quality-of-life improvements.

When planning updates, keep these two rules in mind:

Avoid overly extravagant finishes.
Mid-range choices often provide the best ROI.
Don’t make highly personal changes that are difficult to reverse.
The more universally appealing your home is, the better.

A thoughtful renovation strategy can increase your home’s value, boost curb appeal, and make life more comfortable—whether you’re planning to sell or stay.

Home Life • July 15, 2025

How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Refrigerator: Essential Maintenance Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

by Sara Dalicandro

When my husband and I bought our refrigerator back in 2012, I joked with the salesperson that appliances never seem to last more than 10 years anymore. I expected a laugh—but instead, he nodded in agreement. And he wasn’t wrong.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average refrigerator lasts about 12 years. Considering it’s one of the hardest-working appliances in your home—running 24/7—it’s no surprise that proper maintenance is key to keeping it in top shape for as long as possible.

The good news? A few simple, routine steps can extend the life of your refrigerator, improve energy efficiency, and reduce the risk of expensive repairs. Here’s how to get the most out of one of your most-used appliances.

1. Clean the Refrigerator Coils Regularly

The condenser coils release heat as your fridge cools your food. Over time, those coils collect dust, dirt, food particles, and even pet hair. When the coils are dirty, the refrigerator has to work much harder, which increases wear and tear.

What to do:

Locate the coils (usually behind the appliance or along the bottom front).
Pull the fridge away from the wall or remove the front cover if needed.
Use a coil-cleaning brush, a vacuum, or a stiff brush to remove dust and debris.

Doing this every 6 to 12 months can keep the fridge operating efficiently and prevent overheating.

2. Inspect and Clean the Door Seal (Gasket)

A tight door seal is essential for keeping cold air inside your refrigerator. If the gasket is dirty, cracked, or loose, cold air escapes—forcing your fridge to run longer and raising your energy bills.

How to maintain the seal:

Clean it twice a year using warm soapy water or a baking-soda-and-water mixture.
Use a toothbrush to scrub away grime in the folds.
If you notice cracks, tearing, or warping, replace the gasket—most hardware stores carry universal options.

A healthy seal can make a surprising difference in both performance and efficiency.

3. Make Sure Your Refrigerator Is Level

A slightly unlevel fridge might not seem like a big deal, but it can keep the doors from closing correctly. Even a small gap can allow cold air to escape and cause the motor to overwork.

Quick fix:

Place a level on an interior shelf.
Adjust the refrigerator’s feet or slide a thin shim under one corner to correct the balance.

Ensuring proper alignment keeps the door tight and the temperature consistent.

4. Check and Maintain Proper Temperature Settings

Setting the correct temperature is one of the easiest ways to improve your refrigerator’s efficiency and extend its life.

Ideal temperature settings:

Refrigerator: 37–40°F
Freezer: 0°F or below

Maintaining these ranges helps reduce strain on the compressor and keeps your food fresher for longer.

Regular Maintenance Keeps Your Fridge Running Longer

Taking care of your refrigerator doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. A little routine maintenance can:

Improve efficiency
Lower your utility bills
Prevent mechanical failures
Extend the lifespan of the appliance

Given how costly refrigerators are to replace, these simple steps are well worth the effort. By staying proactive, you can enjoy years of reliable use from the appliance you depend on every single day.

Home Life • June 15, 2025

Ultimate Summer Home Maintenance Checklist: Keep Your Home Safe, Efficient, and Ready for the Season

by Sara Dalicandro

Summer is the season of vacations, pool days, barbecues, and long afternoons in the sun—but it’s also one of the most important times to stay on top of your home’s maintenance. While it’s easy for summer home upkeep to take a backseat to warm-weather fun, completing a few essential tasks can help protect your investment, improve energy efficiency, and prevent costly repairs down the line.

This summer home maintenance checklist breaks down the most important interior and exterior tasks, including what you can DIY and when it’s best to hire a professional.

Interior Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

1. Service Your Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans can quickly cool a room and help reduce your reliance on air conditioning. Each summer, make sure to:

Tighten any loose or wobbling blades
Dust blade edges thoroughly
Switch the fan to rotate counterclockwise, which pushes cool air downward
(And don’t forget: in winter, switch them back to clockwise!)

2. Inspect Windows and Doors for Leaks

Drafty or leaking windows and doors can dramatically impact your home’s energy efficiency. Cool, conditioned air can escape—leading to higher electricity bills. A professional can help determine whether your windows need to be resealed or completely replaced to maximize comfort and savings.

3. Change the Air Conditioner Filter

Your air conditioner works its hardest in the summer, making a clean filter essential for good airflow, longevity, and energy efficiency. Replace or clean the filter at least once per season to help the system run smoothly.

4. Clean Vents and HVAC Ducts

In addition to replacing the AC filter, clean your vents and schedule an HVAC duct inspection to reduce dust buildup, improve indoor air quality, and help your system operate more efficiently. Doing this annually—especially during summer—keeps your home in peak condition.

Exterior Summer Home Maintenance Checklist

1. Examine and Maintain the Siding

Months of weather exposure—including storms, pollen, heat, and moisture—can leave your siding stained, mildewed, or damaged. Power washing the exterior removes grime, while a professional can assess and repair dents or cracks. Staying on top of siding care prolongs its lifespan and improves curb appeal.

2. Clean the Gutters

Summer storms and shedding trees can clog gutters quickly. Blocked gutters may cause water overflow, which can damage the roof, siding, foundation, and landscaping. Check and clean them at least once mid-summer—and more often if you have mature trees nearby.

3. Power Wash Outdoor Surfaces

Power washing high-traffic outdoor areas such as your driveway, patio, walkways, and deck can instantly refresh your home’s exterior. It removes stubborn dirt and debris, leaving everything looking cleaner and brighter for summer entertaining.

4. Control Seasonal Pests

Warm weather brings out insects, critters, and other pests. While mosquitos and flies are annoying, pests like carpenter ants and termites can cause serious structural damage. Summer is a great time to set preventive treatments or bring in a pest control professional if needed.

Staying on top of these summer home maintenance tasks helps protect your home, reduces unexpected repair costs, and keeps your living spaces comfortable all season long. Whether you choose to DIY or hire a professional, a little effort now can save a lot of time—and money—later.

Real Estate • May 15, 2025

Top Reasons Buying a Home Can Outperform Renting in Today’s Market

by Sara Dalicandro

Why Buying a Home May Make More Sense Than Renting

“Should I rent or buy a home?”
It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked — and the truth is, the right answer depends on your financial situation, your goals, and your long-term plans. But there are several major benefits to owning a home that renters simply don’t get. The infographic below highlights some of the biggest advantages, and when you look at the data, it becomes clear why buying a home may make more sense for many people.

1. Homeownership Helps You Escape Rising Rents

As shown in the infographic, rents have been rising consistently for decades, and in most markets, they show no signs of slowing down. The median asking rent has increased year after year, making it more difficult for renters to save for the future.

When you purchase a home — especially with a fixed-rate mortgage — you lock in your monthly housing payment. That stability is something renting simply cannot offer, and it becomes especially valuable during periods of inflation or economic uncertainty.

2. Buying a Home Builds Wealth Over Time

The image above highlights one of the most surprising statistics:
The average homeowner’s net worth is $255,000, while the average renter’s net worth is only $6,300.

This wealth gap exists largely because homeowners build equity with every mortgage payment, while renters build their landlord’s equity. As home values appreciate, that equity becomes an incredibly powerful wealth-building tool — often the foundation of generational wealth.

3. Homeownership Can Protect You From Inflation

According to the infographic, 73% of property managers plan to raise rents in the next two years. With inflation high, landlords often increase rents just to keep up with rising costs.

As a homeowner, however, your mortgage payment stays the same (if you have a fixed-rate loan). This gives you predictability, long-term affordability, and far more control over your monthly budget.

4. Homeowners Have More Control Over Their Living Expenses

One benefit not shown in the infographic — but extremely important — is the ability to modify your home to reduce costs. When you own your home, you can:

Add solar panels to lower electricity bills
Improve insulation to reduce heating and cooling costs
Install energy-efficient appliances
Upgrade windows
Add a pellet stove or other alternative heating systems

As a renter, you don’t have the power to make these upgrades. You’re dependent on your landlord to invest in energy-saving improvements — and many choose not to, leaving renters with higher utility costs and rising rent prices.

5. Don’t Forget About the Tax Benefits

While it’s not included in the graphic, one of the biggest advantages of homeownership is the tax benefit. In many cases, your mortgage interest and property taxes may be deductible, which can significantly reduce your tax burden.

Even though a mortgage payment may be higher than rent month-to-month, the after-tax cost of owning may be lower than you think.

The Bottom Line: Renting Has Flexibility, But Buying Builds Stability

Renting can be a great short-term solution, especially if you’re unsure where you want to live or if you’re early in your career. But if your goal is long-term financial stability, wealth-building, and more control over your living expenses, buying a home consistently proves to be the stronger investment.

The data speaks for itself — homeownership remains one of the most reliable ways to build wealth and protect yourself from rising housing costs.

If you have questions about whether renting or buying is the right move for you, feel free to reach out anytime. I’m always happy to help you explore your options based on your goals, budget, and timeline.

Finances • April 15, 2025

Should You Cancel a Credit Card? Here’s What Really Happens

by Sara Dalicandro

What Happens If You Cancel Your Credit Card? The Credit Score Impact Explained

Canceling a credit card — especially one you rarely use or have recently paid off — can feel like a smart financial move. It lightens your wallet, eliminates an annual fee, and gives you one less bill to track. However, closing a credit card can also cause your credit score to drop, depending on your overall financial profile. If your goal is to maintain or improve your credit score, it may be worth keeping that card open a little longer.

How Canceling a Credit Card Affects Your Credit Score

Your Account Stays on Your Credit Report

When you close a credit card, the account doesn’t disappear from your credit report. Your payment history and the age of the account will continue to appear for up to 10 years, which helps preserve your credit history length.

Your Credit Utilization Ratio Changes

The bigger concern is your credit utilization ratio, which measures how much of your available credit you’re using. This factor makes up about 30% of your credit score.

When you cancel a credit card, you remove part of your available credit limit. This automatically raises your credit utilization — even if your spending doesn’t change — which can lower your score.

How to Improve Your Credit Without Closing Your Card

If you want to reduce credit card use or avoid annual fees without hurting your credit score, consider these alternatives:

1. Use the Card Less, but Keep It Open

Pay down your balances and use your credit cards sparingly. This alone can help improve your credit utilization ratio.

2. Ask Your Credit Card Company to Waive the Annual Fee

Call your card issuer and ask for the retention department. Keeping an existing customer is cheaper than finding a new one, so companies often offer:

Waived annual fees
Bonus points
Statement credits

It never hurts to ask.

3. Request a Product Change to a No-Annual-Fee Card

Many credit card issuers allow you to switch to a no-fee version of your card while keeping:

The same account number
The same credit limit
Your account age

This protects your credit score because the account stays open and active. The tradeoff is losing premium rewards — which may not matter if you don’t use the card often.

How To Keep an Unused Card Active

If you decide to keep a card open but rarely use it, make sure the issuer doesn’t close it for inactivity. A simple way to prevent this is to:

Add a small recurring charge (like a streaming service)
Set up automatic payments

This keeps the account active without requiring you to track additional spending.

Bottom Line

Canceling a credit card may seem harmless, but it can negatively impact your credit score by shrinking your available credit and raising your credit utilization ratio. Before closing a card, explore alternatives like negotiating annual fees, switching to a no-fee card, or simply keeping it open with minimal use. These strategies allow you to protect — or even improve — your credit score while simplifying your finances.

Real Estate • March 15, 2025

Spring Real Estate Guide: What Home Sellers Need to Know

by Sara Dalicandro

Why Spring Is the Best Time to Sell Your Home

If you’ve been thinking about listing your home this winter, the spring real estate season offers the perfect opportunity to make your move. With more buyers actively searching, curb appeal at its peak, and the potential for multiple offers, spring is one of the most profitable and strategic times to sell a home. Here’s what homeowners can expect when putting their property on the market during the spring selling season.

More Buyers Enter the Market in Spring

Spring consistently brings an influx of motivated buyers, many of whom waited until after the holidays to begin their home search. With more people actively looking, you’re more likely to experience:

Increased showing activity
Stronger competition among buyers
Faster offers and quicker closings

In many markets, this increased demand creates a true seller’s market, giving homeowners more leverage during negotiations.

Spring Often Means a Strong Seller’s Market

Low inventory combined with high buyer demand is a recipe for competitive offers. If there are more buyers than homes available, sellers can benefit from:

Bidding wars
Above-asking offers
Favorable terms such as waived contingencies or flexible closing dates

Selling in the spring may position you to earn a higher sale price simply due to market conditions.

Your Home Looks Its Best in Spring

Spring sunshine, green lawns, and fresh landscaping create the perfect backdrop for listing photos and showings. Homes naturally look more inviting this time of year, making it easier to stand out to potential buyers. Vibrant foliage and longer daylight can help highlight your home’s best features and create a warm first impression.

Curb Appeal Becomes a Major Selling Point

With everything blooming, it’s the ideal time to spruce up your home’s exterior and maximize curb appeal. Before listing, consider:

Keeping the lawn freshly mowed and edged
Trimming dead branches or winter-damaged shrubs
Refreshing exterior paint or trim
Repairing minor issues such as loose house numbers, mailbox damage, or worn hardware
Cleaning windows and power-washing siding or walkways
Updating porch décor with seasonal planters, a spring wreath, and light outdoor accents

Simple improvements can make a big difference in how quickly your home attracts buyers.

Longer Daylight Hours Improve Showings

One of the biggest advantages of spring is the extended daylight. Buyers can view your home after work while it’s still bright outside, which:

Makes your home feel warmer and more welcoming
Helps natural light showcase your space
Allows for more flexible showing windows

More time for showings means more opportunities to impress potential buyers.

Less Weather-Related Mess in Your Home

Winter weather often means snow, slush, salt, and mud being tracked through your home — even with shoe covers or mats. In spring, improved weather conditions help keep your floors clean and your home showing-ready with far less effort.

Early Spring Buyers Are Serious Buyers

Many real estate professionals consider mid-February the unofficial start of the spring real estate season. Early spring buyers are often highly motivated to move, whether due to job changes, school schedules, or life transitions. Listing early can help you sell before the busy summer months—and potentially at a higher price.

Final Thoughts

If you want to take advantage of strong buyer demand, high curb appeal, and the potential for multiple offers, selling your home in the spring is one of the smartest decisions you can make. With the right preparation and timing, you can maximize your home’s value and enjoy a smoother selling process.

Finances • February 15, 2025

Should You Delay Retirement to Pay Off Your Mortgage? Pros, Cons & Smart Alternatives

by Sara Dalicandro

Paying off your mortgage before retirement is a major financial goal for many homeowners—and for good reason. Entering your golden years without monthly housing payments can create more financial freedom, reduce stress, and give you the flexibility to enjoy life. But delaying retirement isn’t the only way to achieve this goal, and for some people, it may not be the best choice.

Below, we break down the pros and cons of postponing retirement and explore alternative strategies to pay off your mortgage sooner—without sacrificing your ideal retirement timeline.

Pros and Cons of Delaying Retirement

Benefits of Working Longer

A mortgage-free retirement offers peace of mind and long-term financial stability. By clearing your mortgage before you stop working, you may:

Enjoy increased cash flow for travel, hobbies, or family
Have more financial cushion for unexpected expenses like medical bills or home repairs
Feel more confident about your overall retirement budget

If you’re in good health, enjoy your career, and would only need to delay retirement by a few years, the additional working time may feel manageable—and worthwhile.

Drawbacks of Delaying Retirement

For some, however, working longer may not be ideal. You might choose not to delay retirement if:

You’re experiencing health issues
Your job is physically or emotionally draining
You’re eager to transition into a new lifestyle or phase of life

In these cases, forcing yourself to work additional years can strain your mental and physical well-being, outweighing the financial benefits.

Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Without Delaying Retirement

The good news? There are several smart financial strategies that can help you pay off your home loan early without postponing your retirement date.

1. Make Extra Principal Payments

Even small additional payments can reduce your loan balance faster. You can:

Add extra funds to your monthly payment
Apply bonuses, tax refunds, or commission checks directly to the principal

Always confirm whether your lender charges a prepayment penalty.

2. Switch to Biweekly Mortgage Payments

By making half your monthly payment every two weeks, you’ll end up making 13 full payments per year instead of 12. This simple strategy:

Reduces your principal faster
Decreases the total interest paid
Doesn’t significantly strain your monthly budget

Just check with your lender before starting a biweekly plan.

3. Refinance to a Shorter Mortgage Term

A 15-year or 20-year mortgage can help you pay off your home faster. While your monthly payments may increase, the benefits often include:

A lower interest rate
A significantly reduced overall loan cost
A faster path to a mortgage-free retirement

4. Refinance to Lower Your Interest Rate

If interest rates have dropped since you bought your home, refinancing can:

Reduce your monthly payment
Free up cash to save for retirement
Allow you to pay extra toward principal and shorten your payoff timeline

Make sure to evaluate the closing costs compared to long-term savings.

5. Recast Your Mortgage

If you have a substantial amount saved—or receive a windfall such as an inheritance—you can pay down a lump sum of your mortgage and request a loan recast. This allows:

Lower monthly payments
Preservation of your current loan term and interest rate
A budget-friendly way to save more for retirement

Not all lenders offer recasting, so check availability.

6. Downsize to a More Affordable Home

If you’re an empty nester or simply don’t need as much space, downsizing can instantly eliminate a large mortgage balance. Moving into a smaller, more affordable home can help you:

Reduce monthly expenses
Access home equity
Potentially retire on schedule—mortgage-free

Final Thoughts

Paying off your mortgage before retirement can significantly improve your financial security, but delaying retirement isn’t the only path. By exploring refinancing options, making strategic payments, or adjusting your housing needs, you can build a stress-free and financially stable future.

Gardening • January 15, 2025

5 Essential Spring Yard Prep Tips to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appea

by Sara Dalicandro

Improving your home’s curb appeal starts long before the flowers bloom. Late winter and early spring are the perfect times to prepare your yard, inspect your gardening tools, and set the stage for a healthy, vibrant landscape. With a little planning now, you’ll enjoy beautiful results all spring and summer. Here are five essential spring yard prep tips every homeowner should know.

1. Prune Roses in Late Winter

Late winter is one of the best times to prune roses. Experts recommend trimming rose bushes before new growth begins to promote healthier, fuller blooms. Start by:

Cutting away any dead or diseased wood
Thinning out crowded areas
Opening the center of the plant to improve airflow and sunlight

Proper rose pruning helps prevent disease and encourages stunning blooms once spring arrives.

2. Plan Your Garden Layout Early

A well-designed yard begins with thoughtful planning. Late winter is an ideal time to map out your garden layout and evaluate your landscape. When planning your spring garden, consider:

Sun exposure throughout the day
Soil conditions and drainage
Native plant options
Proper plant spacing for growth

Pre-planning gives you time to consult with local nurseries or garden experts to ensure you choose plants that thrive in your climate and soil type.

3. Maintain and Prep Garden Tools

Your garden tools will work hard from spring through early fall, so now is the time to get them ready. Be sure to:

Inspect handheld tools for rust or damage
Clean and sharpen blades
Check power tools for safety and function
Replace worn-out tools before the season begins

Well-maintained tools make spring yard work easier, safer, and more effective.

4. Clear Winter Debris

Winter can leave your yard covered in branches, leaves, and other debris. Clearing this clutter is an important step in preparing your yard for spring. Remove:

Fallen branches
Dead leaves
Any debris that can harbor mold or pests

Once the area is cleared, add a fresh layer of mulch to protect vulnerable plants and prevent weeds from taking over.

5. Protect Early Spring Blooms

Some bulbs and perennials begin emerging before the last frost. To ensure your early bloomers stay healthy, keep an eye on temperatures and be ready to protect them from sudden cold snaps. Use:

Mulch
Frost cloths
Light coverings during freezing nights

This simple step keeps your first spring flowers safe and thriving.

Personal • December 15, 2024

The Book that Changed my Life

by Sara Dalicandro

It’s January so that means it’s New Year’s Resolution time! It usually starts like this: “This year, I’m going to work out every day!” or “This year, I’m going to start eating healthy” and the best one, “This year I’m going to stop drinking!”

We all have done it before and we all had good intentions when doing so. I mean, none of the things I mentioned above are bad, right? But usually by mid February (March, if you’re really dedicated) things start to go awry. And usually a few weeks after the first crack in the resolution, you’re back to your old ways and then you think to yourself, well, I’ll start again next year. At least that is what I would do…until I came across a book that changed my life.

Atomic Habits by James Clear (website)

James Clear breaks down the psychology of behaviors and offers clear steps to creating and breaking habits. He explains everything in a clear and concise manner that is easy to understand and offers anecdotes that illustrate his points perfectly.

Before you can begin the process of creating or breaking habits, you need to know what influences these behaviors to begin with.

According to Clear, there are 4 steps to any behavior:

Cue – Triggers your brain to initiate the behavior
Craving – Motivates you to do the behavior
Response – Actually doing the behavior
Reward – What you get out of doing the behavior

So why is it so hard to create good habits and why is it so hard to break bad habits? Well, a few things. Even though the intention is there, the plan is not.

In order to begin a habit and make it work, you need a plan. Resolutions are not plans, rather, they are goals. In order to reach those goals (getting in shape, stop drinking etc.) you need a plan to achieve those goals.

James Clear lays out a clear process of setting a plan in place so that creating the habits you want are easier to achieve and ones that you are more likely to stick with. His process has four steps.

Let’s say the habit is to lead a healthier lifestyle:

Make it Obvious
1. If you want to eat healthier, put healthy foods in the front of the fridge, right where you can see it when you open the door.
Make it Attractive
1. Give yourself a treat after you go for your daily 20 minute walk and only make that treat available AFTER your walk. Having something to look forward to linked to a particular habit makes you more likely to continue the habit.
Make it Easy
1. Make sure your sneakers and other gear is laid out and ready for when you go on your daily walk. This eases anxiety of looking for all your stuff (called friction in the book) which will make you more likely to go for your walk.
Make it Satisfying
1. Put a dollar away for every day your exercise. Once you hit a certain amount, buy yourself some new exercise gear or donate it to a charity. Do something that makes you feel good.

The point of following these steps is to create a habit that is attainable and long lasting. Each step is designed to help your brain release endorphins which makes you feel good and reinforces the habit.

This book changed my way of thinking about habits and forming good habits that last! I highly recommend his book and I also highly recommend his weekly newsletter 3-2-1 Thursday which offers 3 ideas from James, 2 quotes from other people and 1 question to ponder during the week.

What are your thoughts on habits and habit forming? Do you have a process that you use to keep you on track? If so, I would love to hear about it.

Home Life • November 15, 2024

Real Estate 101: Radon – what you should know about this deadly gas in your home

by Sara Dalicandro

Radon is a naturally occurring odorless gas that comes from soil and rock. High Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. behind cigarette smoking.

How does Radon get in your house?

Radon enters the home through cracks and holes in the foundation. All homes have some level of Radon (including new construction) but some homes have excessively high levels and that is when it becomes dangerous.

Should you test your home for Radon?

You can test your home anytime for Radon, but most people test their home during the home buying process. It’s a really simple test and only takes a few days to administer and get results. If results come back with levels higher than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter of air), then you should get your home mitigated.

What if my home has high levels of Radon?

If your home has high levels, then you need to get a mitigation system. Contact a mitigation specialist to schedule installation. While you are waiting for the system to be installed, keep a window open in each room to make sure there is enough ventilation. (In Massachusetts, homes built after 2015 are required to have passive mitigation system)

To learn more about Radon, check out this infographic from the CDC and this Fact Sheet from Massachusetts Bureau of Environmental Health.

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