If you want your house to be a safe haven for you and your family, you need to do your due diligence by having it tested professionally for mold, water contaminants, air quality, and so on. Here are three air pollutants that you need to test for before deciding to move in.

1. Radon

Radon is considered to be quite unsafe when found in the home. Unfortunately, it can come up through the basement from the soil beneath your house if your house is built in an area where radon gas is naturally found. So, whether your area is notorious for high radon levels or not, it's always best to be safe rather than sorry by having the home tested professionally for radon before making any permanent decisions. Depending on your state, there may be radon testing requirements for testing providers, such as certification requirements. You don't want to ignore the possibility of radon though, because any amount of radon in your home's air can increase your chances of developing lung cancer. Fortunately, reducing radon with a qualified system delivered by a qualified provider can be extremely effective. However, if you do find radon in the home's air, you'll want to factor in the cost of mitigation when deciding how much you'll pay for the home.

2. Mold and mildew spores

Mold and mildew spores can be present in any home, since a few can float in the door from outside anytime the doors open. However, high mold or mildew concentrations in your home can be a serious health threat. If there are high concentrations in the air, it's likely that there was recently a mold problem in the home that was incorrectly cleaned up. Perhaps the homeowner decided on a DIY solution rather than a professional solution and neglected to clean the home's air thoroughly. In this situation, there will be no signs of the mold problem except for the air contamination, and yet if you buy the home, you may move in and suddenly find that the mold has grown back and that you have a mold nightmare in your hands. TO learn about how a mold inspection can help, contact a company like Coastal Environmental Compliance LLC.

3. Pet dander and other allergens

This is especially important if you or someone close to you has a pet allergy and/or asthma. However, there are human health problems that can result from poor pet hygiene, as pets can pass along parasites and bacteria and other nasties if proper hygiene is not observed. So if you have a pet allergy or other allergies, you should get the house tested for allergens, and even if you don't have allergies, if you notice a strong pet smell, you should be very wary about buying the home.