Being a property owner can be incredibly rewarding, whether you own one property or multiple. As a proud family homeowner, you can make changes that suit your preferences and even make money if you have purchased real estate as an investment.
However, as real estate can be expensive, it’s essential to look after it at all costs. Here are some of the most important testing and assessment services you might need to consider to ensure your properties are safe and in excellent condition for years to come.
Environmental Compliance
Even before you purchase a piece of land to turn it into a lucrative property development, environmental compliance can be essential to meet federal regulations. When you seek it, you’re essentially doing your due diligence to learn important information about the land, such as environmental liens, activity use limitations, site geology, and hydrogeology.
Many people also seek out environmental compliance when purchasing real estate not previously on a title, to receive loans from new lenders, and to understand a property’s toxic history. The same companies that offer ESAs can also offer a number of other assessment services, such as soil sampling, contaminated soil removal, vapor monitoring, and methane monitoring.
Asbestos Testing and Removal
Millions of homes in the United States contain asbestos. Homeowners and tenants can be perfectly safe when asbestos-containing materials are left undisturbed and in good condition. However, that can all change as soon as asbestos becomes friable. At that point, the microscopic fibers can be released into the air, breathed in, and cause life-threatening illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer.
One in four Americans don’t know if their homes contain asbestos, and 65% of survey respondents had never had their homes tested. Whether you’re buying a home to live in or trying to make a property safe for its occupants, asbestos testing and removal can be a valuable service to invest in.
Trained asbestos removalists can identify asbestos and, if deemed to be friable, can ensure its safe removal. They can also recommend fast and easy maintenance methods to make homes safer, such as encapsulating asbestos ceilings and covering over asbestos vinyl.
Meth Residue Testing
Not all states require information about drug manufacturing in homes to be disclosed, which means there’s potential for property owners to unknowingly purchase properties that have previously been used to manufacture harmful substances like methamphetamine.
Keep your family or tenants safe by undertaking meth residue testing before buying a property or renting it out. You might hire a company to undertake testing for you or purchase a meth residue test kit that allows you to test for it yourself.
There are also many other signs that a house might have been used for drugs. You can check out the National Clandestine Laboratory Register, talk to your local police offers, discuss your suspicions with neighbors, or even take note of the property’s unsanitary conditions or strong odors.
Radon Testing
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas known to cause lung cancer. You can’t see it, nor can you smell it, yet it could be in your home, posing a health risk to your family or tenants.
Ensure you undertake radon testing before purchasing a new home. Ask the realtor or developer if any radon-resistant features were used in its construction, and put measures in place to reduce radon levels if they’re higher than four picocuries per liter.
If your home is showing high levels of radon, consider purchasing a radon reduction system to combat this hidden danger. Builders can also undertake a number of measures to reduce levels, such as sealing and caulking openings in concrete foundation floors, using a vent pipe to vent radon above the house, and using plastic sheeting under the house slab.
Lead Testing
It’s hard to believe that something as inconspicuous as peeling paint on a house could be a serious health concern. However, millions of houses in the United States contain lead-based paint, and it’s one of the leading causes of lead poisoning in the country.
While lead-based paints have been banned since the late 1970s, many homes still contain them. As the paint ages, it flakes off and can be hazardous to children and pets if they chew on surfaces painted with lead or breathe in the lead dust.
Fortunately, a simple lead paint inspection or risk assessment can help you determine whether the home you own or one you intend to buy contains lead. You can then find out what steps you need to take to remedy the problem and reduce your stress levels, such as using EPA-certified contractors to remove it and keeping children and pets away from lead-contaminated areas.
There can be more to property ownership than meets the eye. When you’re trying to keep your family and tenants safe, it can be worth exploring some of these important services above to protect them and your investment.
Also Read: What Steps Can Business Owners Take To Protect Their Property?
