Radon?

[cooperbug]

We have just had our searches back on the house we are buying.

It has stated in the report that the property is in a Radon affected area of between 1-3% and a Radon test from Public health England would cost £50.

Has anybody else had this come back on their searches and had it carried out?

www.ukradon.org/
Look at the map - huge areas of the UK are radon affected. It is easily trapped in rocks such as granite. The test they do requires two separate detectors. You keep them for 3 months and then post them back for analysis. Do you want the sellers to do this and add 3 months onto the process? If you move in and do the test you can get work done to 'tank' the house against it.

We bought an indemnity insurance against it

weve lived in a radon area for the last six years it dosent affect our day to day lives we just open the windows during the day to ensure it dosent bulid up in the house

I bought in a high radon area. If it’s a newer house you’re buying then there should have been some preventative measures taken.

No sure what an indemnity will do - I thought radon could potentially give you cancer in high levels?

Are we talking 1-3% affected areas here or higher?

Certainly don't want to delay the process any longer and if the test itself takes 3 months to measure levels won't be having it done.

There is a page on the radon website linked above which advises to get a test carried out, but to look at retaining funds through your solicitor.

Reading this just made me take a look to see what levels are like where I am and it says maximum radon potential over 30%. I'm planning to buy and friends have all bought here recently and the subject has never come up. I'd think 1-3% is very minimal and probably wouldn't really require a test?

We had this. We paid for the test. I can't remember details, but we we received feedback that it wasnt an issue. I wouldn't let it put you off. Find out how you can test. I know it didnt cost much.

I live near a town where this always comes up. Generally only one head per person, and no increased incidence of health issues. It is a known thing in many parts of the UK, and the only way to be certain is to have proper tests done. If you are looking in a radon area, this will come up on every house.

here's the map and relevant info:
www.ukradon.org/information/ukmaps

Radon is nasty and can cause lung cancer (and not proven, but in our family 2 people who grew up in a high radon home got thyroid cancer). Definitely get a test done, easier said than done before you buy as you'd have to trust the seller to take the samples (and in the lowest parts of the home). It isn't something to mess around with and yes modern homes in radon areas should have systems to remove it, especially from basements.

How old is the house and is the radon in the cellar?

The house was built in 1910 and has no cellar

my buyer did it, took over three months, received result after purchasing the flat.
I advised him not to waste his money for a flat in London.
mainly issues in Corwall area.
1-3% is low, half of country or more have certain percentage of RISK of Radon.

If there are voids under the floor you can get a radon fan that will continuously extract air and radon from under a house.

Look up Radon fan on Youtube

It wouldn't put me off buying.

We bought an indemnity insurance against it

But what are you insuring against exactly? What does a high radon level do?

@mumsy27 you have nailed it there - it's risk-based. A lot of people don't understand the difference between 'risk of' and 'actuality'...
publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2015/03/20/five-facts-every-home-owner-should-know-about-radon/

Hi! I know I am late to this but have just had the same thing come up in our survey, with exactly the same percentage risk (1-3%). What did you decide to do in the end @cooperbug?
Has anyone every needed to do radon mitigation work? If so, was it very difficult/disruptive and did it succeed in reducing the radon levels? (Obviously I'm thinking worst case scenario here, as hopefully our house will be in the 97%!)

If you have a void under the floorboards then Radon may be a risk. Concrete floors provide a barrier or so we were told when we had our radon assessment.

Newer houses just have radon barrier in now , it’s same as dpm under concrete but it also spans the cavity to stop it going in them.

[quote murbblurb]I live near a town where this always comes up. Generally only one head per person, and no increased incidence of health issues. It is a known thing in many parts of the UK, and the only way to be certain is to have proper tests done. If you are looking in a radon area, this will come up on every house.

here's the map and relevant info:
www.ukradon.org/information/ukmaps[/quote]
Not Norfolk then?

Oops. Didn't read dates.

What's a radon assessment @species5618? We just had a standard Home Buyers survey and environmental search and both seemed to indicate the only next step was full testing (over 3 months). Is there a more detailed risk-assessment you can do before that?

My apologies AKB34 only just seen your question.
As far as I know the only way of testing is to have the meter installed over a period of time eg 3 months. I guess the amounts in question are relatively small and take time to register.

Ah okay. Yes that;s what I'd thought. Thanks!