Why Every Illinois Home Seller Should Get Professional Radon Testing Before Listing

When you’re preparing to sell your home, you expect to handle the usual tasks—repairs, cleaning, staging, and negotiating with buyers. But many Illinois homeowners overlook one critical step that can dramatically impact the success of a real estate transaction: professional radon testing.

Even though radon testing is not legally required in Illinois, today’s buyers almost always expect documented proof that a home is safe. And with radon levels in Illinois ranking among the highest in the nation, skipping this step can cause delays, failed negotiations, or even lost buyers.

Below, we explain why professional radon testing from a dedicated radon testing company is one of the smartest moves a seller can make—saving you time, protecting your home’s value, and ensuring a smoother path to closing.

Why Radon Testing Matters in the Illinois Real Estate Market

Radon is an invisible, odorless radioactive gas that seeps into homes through cracks and openings in foundations, walls, and crawlspaces. The EPA identifies radon exposure as a leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, and Illinois has some of the highest radon concentrations in the Midwest.

Because radon poses a serious health risk, buyers expect to see a professional radon report confirming that the home has safe radon levels. If you haven’t completed professional radon testing, you’re forced to wait—often for days or weeks—while the buyer arranges testing with a company of their choosing. During that waiting period, the sale of your home remains stalled.

And if the buyer walks away after receiving their radon results? You may never get a copy of the report, leaving you with no documentation to show the next buyer. That means you must start the entire process again—losing valuable time with your home still on the market.

How Professional Radon Testing Speeds Up the Home-Selling Process

By ordering professional radon testing before you list, you stay in control of the timeline and eliminate unnecessary delays.

1. Faster negotiations

A verified radon report from Quality Environmental Testing gives buyers immediate peace of mind. You avoid waiting for their testing process to begin, and your transaction moves forward faster.

2. Control over mitigation costs

If elevated radon levels are discovered, you choose the mitigation contractor, schedule, and price that work best for you. When buyers control the radon testing process, mitigation estimates tend to be higher—often benefiting the buyer during negotiations.

3. Stronger negotiating leverage

Providing a professional radon report upfront signals responsibility and transparency. Buyers appreciate proactive sellers, and you reduce the likelihood of repair credits, delays, or renegotiation.

4. Peace of mind for your family

Even if you’re not planning to sell soon, knowing your home’s radon levels protects your long-term health. Professional radon testing ensures a safe living environment today and prevents headaches later.

Why You Should Choose a Professional Radon Testing Company

Not all radon testing is created equal. DIY radon kits are inconsistent and often dismissed in real estate transactions. A professional radon testing company like Quality Environmental Testing uses calibrated continuous radon monitors that deliver accurate, defensible results.

Professional radon testing provides:

• Reliable, certified results

• Accurate measurement of home radon levels

• Monitoring that meets real estate transaction standards

• Documentation that buyers trust during negotiations

This is especially important in the Chicago South and Southwest Suburbs—including Lockport, Lemont, Homer Glen, Orland Park, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, and beyond—where radon levels can vary significantly from home to home.

Radon Testing Isn’t Required by Law—But It Is Expected

Illinois law only requires sellers to disclose known radon test results. It does not require you to perform a radon test. However, most buyers expect it as part of the home-buying process.

If you don’t already have a professional radon report, buyers will almost certainly request one—and that means delays and potential negotiation challenges.

By completing professional radon testing before listing, you protect your time, your sale price, and your negotiating position.

Protect Your Investment and Health with Quality Environmental Testing

Whether you’re preparing to sell your home or simply want to ensure safe indoor air quality, professional radon testing is one of the most important steps you can take. It provides clarity, protects your investment, and offers peace of mind for your family.

Quality Environmental Testing proudly serves Lockport and the greater Chicago suburbs with accurate, certified radon testing services. Our trained radon professionals use industry-leading equipment and provide fast, reliable reports that buyers and real estate professionals trust.

Ready to schedule your professional radon test?

Contact Quality Environmental Testing today 708-243-5945 to ensure your home is safe today—and fully prepared for tomorrow.