IEA Radon_Reporter_April 2025

26 | APRIL 2025 INDUSTRY NEWS A home inspector pleaded guilty in January 2025 to performing radon testing services without the NJ-required certification and other violations of the state’s radon statute and regulations. The individual was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years’ probation, fined $7500, required to pay $10,385 restitution to defrauded customers, and banned for life from performing radon measurement or mitigation services in NJ. In the process of testing more than 140 homes across 16 NJ counties over two to three years, after placing a CRM test device, the home inspector would retrieve the device when leaving the home on the same day at the end of the home inspection (the primary reason for the visit). This disregard for the ANSI-AARST measurement standard’s minimum 46-hour radon measurement device exposure time, and most likely the device manufacturer’s instructions, not only violated the state’s radon statute and regulations but moreover jeopardized the health of all who have resided and will reside in the 140 homes that were “tested” for radon. The NJ probation agency has offered restitution to the homeowners and referred them to NJ DEP to identify professional radon testing services. In response to an internet review from a homeowner complaining about this home inspector’s two-hour radon test duration, the home inspector wrote: I have the [REDACTED] that provides an accurate testing report. The radon levels came in well below the actionable level, and the dwelling has a radon mitigation system already installed. Despite that, the customer requested an additional radon test days after the inspection as suggested by his realtor and attorney. I said I would do the additional test and was only going to charge the lab fee and my mileage. The customer then threatened to write a poor review of my services unless I provided him with the free additional test. I am a professional and take pride in my work. I gave this customer a lot of my time; my time is valuable, and it is unreasonable to demand an additional superfluous free service. Chuck Renaud, New Jersey Radiation Program Supervisor, said: ““Becoming certified in New Jersey is not a difficult process and it’s hard for me to understand jeopardizing human health in order to make a few bucks! We found out about this person purely by accident, but since then we have found some others who are now being investigated. The only way that uncertified individuals or those testing against protocols can be confronted is if someone questioning Home Inspector Convicted of Violating NJ Radon Certification Law