Environmental problems found during a home inspection
Mold, radon, asbestos or lead paint on your report: which are health risks, what each fix costs, and who gives you a written bid before your deadline.
Updated · By 
Ben Sikes
What is considered environmental in a home inspection?
Environmental problems found during a home inspection involve a house's air, materials or water, from mold and radon to asbestos and past flooding. Kept's guides cover 16. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) name a health or fire risk for most. The same finding can cost a few hundred dollars to test or tens of thousands to remove, so get a written bid from the professional named for each one.
Key takeaways
- A radon level between 2 and 4 pCi/L is still worth a mitigator's bid.
- Visible mold usually needs no lab test, but the leak feeding it needs its own bid.
- Vermiculite skips the asbestos test: assume it contains asbestos and leave it undisturbed.
Which environmental findings are serious, and what do they cost?
Each range runs from the smallest job its guide prices to the largest. How Kept prices a line explains them.
Safety comes before money. Don't sweep, sand, drill or sample anything the report flags as possible asbestos, lead paint or rodent droppings.
| Finding | Serious per (source) | Cost range (source) | Who prices it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos cement pipe | Releases fibers when "cut, torn, sanded, sawed, drilled or scraped" (EPA) | $400 to $700 for testing (AsbestosHQ); for replacement, get a licensed asbestos contractor's written bid | Asbestos inspector, then a licensed asbestos contractor |
| Asbestos floor tile | "Damaged asbestos may release asbestos fibers and become a health hazard" (CPSC) | $5 to $15 per sq ft removal (Environmental Education Associates) | Asbestos inspector, then an abatement contractor |
| Asbestos popcorn ceiling | "Loose, crumbly or water-damaged material may release fibers" (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, InterNACHI) | $3,000 to $8,000+ for 1,000 sq ft (The Asbestos Institute) | Asbestos inspector, then an abatement contractor |
| Asbestos siding | Releases fibers when sawed, drilled or cut (CPSC) | $450 to $21,250, partial removal to new siding (Today's Homeowner; Fixr) | Asbestos inspector, then an abatement contractor |
| Rodents in the attic and other issues | Hantavirus from droppings "can cause serious illness that affects your lungs and kidneys" (CDC) | $400 to $12,000+, sealing out mice to a long-running infestation (local: Wildlife Company, Bristol, Tennessee; Homeland Wildlife, San Antonio) | Pest control or wildlife removal company |
| Chinese drywall | A "strong association" with "corrosion of metal in homes" (CPSC and HUD) | $30,000 to $100,000 or more, full remediation (Today's Homeowner) | Assessor and lab, then a remediation contractor |
| Dryer vent | Lint buildup can "result in a fire in some dryers" (CPSC) | $30 to $350, inspection to a full cleaning (Fixr) | Heating and cooling (HVAC) installer |
| High radon levels | "Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer" (EPA) | $771 to $3,000 for an installed system (Bob Vila, national; Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota) | Certified radon mitigation contractor |
| Lead paint | Deteriorating lead-based paint "is a hazard and needs prompt attention" (EPA) | $225 to $30,000, inspection to whole-house removal (Fixr) | Certified lead risk assessor, then an abatement contractor |
| Mold behind walls | "People with asthma or who are allergic to mold may have severe reactions" (CDC) | Inspection only, $150 to $1,200 (RestoreAdvisor); removal is priced in the mold rows below | Mold inspector, then a remediation contractor |
| Mold found during a home inspection | "Molds have the potential to cause health problems" (EPA) | $500 to $30,000, bathroom to whole house (Servpro, from HomeAdvisor data; ATI Restoration) | Mold remediation contractor, plus the trade that fixes the leak |
| Mold in the attic | Spores "can cause serious or fatal fungal infections in those with lung disease or compromised immune systems" (InterNACHI) | $500 to $10,000+ (ATI Restoration; BUK Restoration, local, Boise, Idaho) | Mold remediation contractor and a roofer |
| Mold in a crawl space | Molds produce "irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins)" (EPA) | $500 to $15,000, removal to full encapsulation (Fixr; Palm Build, local, Florida and the Carolinas) | Mold remediation contractor |
| Previous water damage | High-risk flood areas have "at least a one-in-four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage" (FEMA) | $1,305 to $100,000, typical job to long-standing flood water (Bob Vila) | Restoration company, plus a flood insurance quote |
| Unpermitted work or open permits | The city "either isn't aware of the work, wouldn't approve the work, or doesn't know whether it is up to code" (Rancho Palos Verdes, California) | $50 to $3,000 in permit fees (HomeLight, citing HomeGuide) | Local building department, then a licensed contractor |
| Vermiculite insulation | "There is no known safe level of asbestos exposure" (EPA) | $10 to $25+ per sq ft removal (Banner Environmental, local, New England; Home Energy Decisions) | Accredited asbestos contractor |
Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.
What happens if mold is found during a home inspection?
It means two jobs: remove the mold and fix the water feeding it. Otherwise, EPA says, "most likely, the mold problem will come back."
EPA also says "in most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary." Professionals typically charge $10 to $25 a square foot to remove it. Get written bids from a remediation contractor and from the plumber or roofer who fixes the leak, then ask the seller to cover both.
What radon level should you fix?
Fix a radon level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, per EPA's buyer guide. EPA also says to consider fixing between 2 and 4, so a 3.5 is worth a mitigator's bid.
The fix is a vent pipe and fan system, which National Radon Program Services says a qualified contractor can install in one day in a typical single-family home. EPA says sealing cracks alone has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently. If the seller installs it, ask for a retest 24 hours to 30 days after.
You can live in the house during a radon test. For a short-term test, EPA asks for windows closed and doors closed "except for normal entry and exit," for at least 48 hours.
Is asbestos in an older house dangerous?
Asbestos is dangerous when damaged or disturbed. CPSC says "the mere presence of asbestos in a home or a building is not hazardous."
You can't tell by looking. An accredited asbestos inspector takes samples for a lab and writes up the damage. Vermiculite skips the test: EPA says to assume it may contain asbestos and leave it undisturbed.
How do I use this list before my deadline?
Match each environmental line on your report to a row above. A home inspection is a visual check, and InterNACHI's standards leave mold testing out, so a report line tells you where to look, not what the fix costs. Ask the seller for the repair or a credit equal to the written bid.
Your contract sets the exact deadline, so confirm the date with your agent.
If the window is closing, upload your report to Kept and price the rest of your list while the bids come in.
Sources
- EPA, Exposures to Asbestos
- EPA, Vermiculite Insulation
- EPA, Buyer's Guide to Radon
- EPA, Health Risk of Radon
- EPA, Lead Disclosure
- EPA, Mold and Moisture
- EPA, Mold Testing or Sampling
- CPSC, Asbestos in the Home
- CPSC, Dryer Fires
- CPSC and HUD, Drywall Remediation
- CDC, Hantavirus Prevention
- CDC, Mold and Health
- FEMA, Flood Maps
- National Radon Program Services
- Minnesota Department of Health, Radon
- InterNACHI, Asbestos
- InterNACHI, Bathroom Vents
- InterNACHI, Mold Testing
- Rancho Palos Verdes, Unpermitted Work
- AsbestosHQ, Transite Pipe Guide
- Environmental Education Associates
- The Asbestos Institute, Popcorn Ceilings
- Today's Homeowner, Asbestos Siding
- Fixr, Asbestos Siding Cost
- Wildlife Company, Mouse Exclusion
- Homeland Wildlife, Attic Rodents
- Today's Homeowner, Chinese Drywall
- Fixr, Dryer Vent Cleaning Cost
- Bob Vila, Radon in Homes
- Fixr, Lead Paint Removal Cost
- RestoreAdvisor, Mold Inspection Cost
- Servpro, Mold Remediation Cost
- ATI Restoration, Mold Remediation Cost
- BUK Restoration, Attic Mold
- Fixr, Crawl Space Repair Cost
- Palm Build, Crawl Space Mold Removal
- Bob Vila, Water Damage Restoration Cost
- HomeLight, Open Permits
- Banner Environmental, Asbestos Removal
- Home Energy Decisions, Insulation Removal
Cost figures are modeled from public wage and materials data unless a line says observed. Kept is accountable for the numbers on this page, and corrections go to support@usekept.com. How we price.