Home Inspections in Mercer County, NJ

What We Find in Mercer County Homes

About two-thirds of Mercer County's homes were built before 1980 (NJ Department of Health, U.S. Census data). Older construction methods are common, and they're not necessarily bad, but they're worth understanding before you buy. Depending on the home's age, we often look closely at:

• Older electrical systems, such as ungrounded two-prong outlets and original panels
• Original cast iron or clay sewer lines, which is why we often recommend a sewer scope
• Signs of a buried oil tank from when the home was heated with oil, which an oil tank sweep can confirm
• Original windows, roofing and insulation that may be near the end of their life
• Past additions and renovations, and how well they were tied into the original house

Radon in Mercer County

Mercer County has some of the highest radon levels in South and Central Jersey. According to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Princeton, Hopewell, Pennington, Ewing and Lawrence are all Tier 1, meaning high radon potential. In Princeton, about 34% of the more than 12,000 homes tested came in at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level, and in Ewing about 29%. Hamilton, West Windsor, Robbinsville, East Windsor and Trenton are Tier 2 (moderate). Radon levels vary from house to house even on the same street, so NJDEP recommends testing every home. Our radon test is $150.