Guides

Reading the record

Every screening draws on free federal datasets — FEMA, EPA, USGS, USFWS. These guides walk through them one layer at a time: where to look, how the letters and ratings work, and what a result should change about your plans.

July 8, 2026 · 10 min read

Radon Zone Map vs. Home Radon Test — What Each Can Tell You

The EPA radon zone map rates counties, not houses. What Zone 1, 2, and 3 mean in pCi/L, why neighbors differ tenfold, and how to test during a purchase.

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July 2, 2026 · 10 min read

Environmental Checks Before Buying a House — A Weekend Plan

A weekend plan for environmental checks before buying a house — flood, wildfire, wetlands, Superfund, radon, water, disaster history — with free federal tools.

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June 30, 2026 · 10 min read

Wetlands on the Map — What NWI Layers Mean for a Parcel You Love

How to read the NWI wetlands map before you buy — Cowardin codes in plain language, building and septic impacts, Section 404 permits, and when to delineate.

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June 25, 2026 · 11 min read

Reading Wildfire Hazard at Address Level: A Buyer's Field Guide

How to check wildfire hazard by address using the USFS hazard raster, community exposure maps, and state severity zones — plus insurance and defensible space.

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June 21, 2026 · 10 min read

How Close Is Too Close? Superfund Sites and the House You Want

No federal rule defines a safe radius around a Superfund site. Learn the four questions — NPL status, contaminant, groundwater, controls — that actually decide it.

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June 18, 2026 · 11 min read

FEMA Flood Maps, Decoded: What Your Zone Letter Actually Means

What every FEMA flood map zone letter means — A, AE, AH, AO, VE, X, D — plus the SFHA line, base flood elevation, lender rules, and how LOMA removals work.

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