No matter who we are or where we live as the second leading cause of lung cancer (after cigarettes) in the UK. Radon can affect homes, offices, listing buildings so all of our properties should be tested for high radon levels.
Radon testing is simple and affordable but without carrying out a test using a special monitor, there is no way of knowing how high radon concentrations in a property are; radon is a colourless, odourless, tasteless radioactive gas that is formed amid the natural breakdown of uranium deposits found in soil, rock and water; essentially it can occur anywhere.
Radon at Home
• How close is your home to the ground? Radon seeps into your home or office from the ground up, so if you live on the ground floor of a block of flats you are more at risk than if you were on the 30th. In a two-storey house, the highest levels of radon are usually found in ground floor rooms.
• Does your home have a basement? Properties with basements are at a much higher risk of radon as the air pressure dynamics of a large underground space encourage the gas to move from the soil towards the basement.
If you use the basement for living or working space, it is vital to test it for radon as it could contain very high concentrations, however even if the basement is just used for storage, the gas can seep up to rooms at ground floor level and cause a problem.
• Do your neighbours have high radon readings? It doesn’t matter; neighbouring houses can have completely different radon readings, the only sure way to protect you and your family is to test your home.
Radon in the Workplace
• Do you work underground? Whether in a mine, a cave or an office in a basement any underground work space is at a heightened risk of radon contamination. Under health and safety legislation, all employers are required to carry out radon testing if their premises contain underground workspaces.
• How much time do you spend at work? Remember, your office is as susceptible to radon as your home, and with most of us putting in more hours at work we need to think about safety. Employers are legally obligated to carry out a risk assessment to ensure their employees’ wellbeing, and this should include radon testing.
How do I Test?
Testing for radon is easy, inexpensive and essential; all you have to do is choose the best method for you. At PropertECO we have a variety of radon testing kits starting at £33 plus VAT; we send them to you and you send them back, it’s that simple.
Short term radon kits are useful when you need results as fast as possible, for example if you are thinking of buying a property; they typically take a 10 days. Long term kits, on the other hand, take 90 days to complete but do give the most accurate result possible.
Easy to follow instructions for use are provided with the test kits, including details of where to place the detectors in your home and when to send them back. Radon as a cause of lung cancer is entirely preventable, for more information get in touch online or call us on 0800 046 6193, a small investment in a kit today could help save you tomorrow.
