Frequently Asked Questions

A retention is a sum of money held back from the sale to help with remedial costs.
The typical remediation cost is £1,000
A typical retention sum is between £500 and £2,000
The money is initially held by one of the solicitors for a period of six months, to allow time for moving in, the three month test, analysis and receipt of the report.
If the result is below the action level, the money goes to the seller.
If the results is higher, the money pays for remedial works and a timescale is agreed to allow for the works and a further test.
Any surplus money goes to the seller.

Can unoccupied homes be measured for radon?

The results are less reliable if the home is unoccupied for more than three weeks in the three months.

How can I obtain details of the HPA radon measurement service?

Further information is available on the domestic and workplace measurement pages of this website.

What is a screening measurement?

A more expensive test is available for people who wish to have an early indication of the success of remedial work. This costs £85.78 incl. VAT and includes an extra two detectors to place next to the three-month detectors. You return the extra detectors after two weeks and we will provide one of three interim results in five working days:

Likely to be above the action level
Likely to be below the action level
Uncertain and completion of the three month test is required

The result of the two week test is more likely to be uncertain in high radon areas.

Radon and its effects on health

What is radon?

Radon is colourless, odourless radioactive gas. It is formed by the radioactive decay of the small amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils.

Why is it a risk to our health?

Radioactive elements decay and emit radiation. Any exposure to radiation is thought to be a risk to health - radiation is a form of energy and can cause damage in living tissues increasing the risk of cancer.

I suffer from headaches, nausea, bronchial conditions - could this be radon related?

There is no consistent evidence that radon causes cancers elsewhere, or other harm.

Are children at more of a risk from radon?

For inhalation and ingestion, the general pattern of doses to organs is broadly similar to that in adults

What about my holiday home?

It is not advisable to test an unoccupied property. If there is a period of three months when it will be occupied, this may provide an opportunity to complete a measurement. It is more important to find out if your permanent residence is within an affected area and, if so, test it.

Radon Affected Areas

Are high radon levels found only in granite areas?

No. There are extensive areas outside southwest England where high radon levels occur in buildings, including large parts of Wales and the Midlands, and some more northerly areas (see our radon maps). HPA has published maps showing the radon Affected Areas within the UK - click here to view these maps. Alternatively you can complete a property specific search on this site.

Reducing Radon Levels

Will opening my windows reduce the indoor radon concentration?

Increasing the ventilation, especially on the ground floor, will generally not produce a significant or sustained reduction in the radon level. Extractor fans can aggravate radon problems if a suitable air inlet is not provided, as they may draw soil gas into the house.

How can high levels be reduced?

There are several tried and tested methods to reduce radon levels in existing homes. The choice of method depends on the radon level and the way your home is built. for further information on remedial works please visit the How to reduce radon levels section of this website or the BRE website.

How do I know if the work has been effective?

It is important that any remediation work is followed promptly by a measurement, preferably for the normal three month period. A contractor may conduct a shorter test to provide a rapid but approximate guide to the effect of the work, but it is essential that this is supplemented by the longer test, as this is the only way to be sure that radon has been reduced below the Action Level. Please call the Radon Services and Logistics Group on 01235 822622 to see if a free retest is available to you.

Radon in the workplace

Where can I get detailed advice about how to manage radon exposure of my staff?

If the radon level in any part of a workplace exceeds 400 Bq m-3 , the employer is obliged to take action. They must inform staff and nominate a responsible member of staff to oversee progress with protection measures. The HPA recommends a five point plan: Measurement, Surveillance, Risk assessment, Mitigation, Maintenance. The HPA offers a surveillance service, which incorporates all these elements, and can also advise on more complex protection issues where required.

HPA Advice on the Limitation of Human Exposure to Radon

Radon Target Level

What is the radon Target Level (100 Bq m^-3)?

The health risk from radon is considered to be proportional to the level of long term exposure, with no safe/unsafe threshold. To reflect this, HPA advises that homes with radon levels above the Action Level (200 Bq m-3) should be remediated, preferably to below the Target Level.

Householders with levels between the Target Level (100 Bq m-3) and Action Level (200 Bq m-3) should seriously consider reducing their radon level, especially if they are at greater risk, such as if they are current or ex smokers.

What should I do if my home is between the Target Level (100 Bq m^-3) and Action Level (200 Bq m^-3)?

You should seriously consider reducing the radon level in your home but bear in mind that the risks at this level are lower than in homes that are above the Action Level. You should also remember that, for any radon level, the risks are much greater for smokers than non-smokers: the risk for ex-smokers is in-between.

Why have both an Action Level and a Target Level for radon?

The Action Level identifies radon levels above which action is most urgent but it is important that substantial reductions are made {150} not just aiming to get under the Action Level. The Target Level of 100 Becquerels per cubic metre aims to encourage householders to make major reductions in their radon level - to below the Target Level if possible.

Health risks below the Action Level are smaller but not zero. HPA advises householders with radon between the Target Level and the Action Level to seriously consider reducing their radon levels - especially if the household includes smokers or ex-smokers who are at greater risk from radon.

Radon probability areas and Radon affected areas

What are radon probability areas?

The HPA recommends that all parts of the UK should be classified according to the probability that homes in the locality will have an indoor radon concentration above the Action Level (200 Bq m^-3).

Areas where less than 1% of homes are estimated to be above the Action Level are "lower probability radon areas".
Areas where between 1% and 10% of homes are estimated to be above the Action Level are "intermediate probability radon areas".
Areas where at least 10% of homes are estimated to be above the Action Level are "higher probability radon areas".

I live in a "higher probability radon area" so my home has at least a 10% probability of being above the Action Level. Should I test for radon?

Yes, you should get your home tested for radon and, if the radon level is high, reduce it. Further information is available on this website.

I live in an "intermediate probability radon area" so my home has a 1-10% probability of being above the Action Level. Should I test for radon?

Yes, you should get your home tested. High radon levels can and do occur in intermediate radon probability areas. Some householders in these areas may decide not to test because, for example, everyone in the household is at a lower risk through being lifelong non-smokers. Remember, the only certain way of knowing your risk from radon is to test the indoor radon level. If the radon level is high, you can lower your risk by reducing the radon level in your home. Further information is available on this website.

I live in a "lower probability radon area" so my home has less than a 1% probability of being above the Action Level. Should I test for radon?

Every home has some radon but the majority of homes in the UK are in "lower probability radon areas". This means that if you live in such an area, there is only a small - less than 1% - probability (odds of less than 1 in a 100) that the level of radon in your home will exceed the Action Level. If you live in a lower radon probability area, HPA does not advise measuring the radon in your home but you can test if you wish. You might consider testing if, for example, you have a basement that you use often, say as a living area or bedroom. Further information is available on this website.

I live in a "lower probability radon area" so my home has less than a 1% probability of being above the Action Level. Should I test for radon?

Yes. To provide consistency with existing arrangements, areas where the probability of exceeding the Action Level is 1% or more are still defined as radon Affected Areas. To avoid the misconception that radon is only present in radon Affected Areas, those areas with a less than 1% probability of exceeding the Action Level are defined as "lower probability radon areas".

Testing for radon

A radon measurement was made in my house several years ago, do I need to retest?

Radon levels can change if the structure of the home changes or if you change the way the home is occupied. Changes likely to alter the radon levels include home improvements (for example installing central heating, double glazing or extra insulation), major building works (extensions, loft or basement conversions) or changes such as whether particular rooms are used or heated differently, as might happen when there is an addition to the family or when occupants retire. A change in occupants can also alter the level.

If the original result was well below the target level (100 Bq m^-3) and there are no significant changes to your home or to your living style, there is no need to retest.

If the original result was between the Target Level (100 Bq m^-3) and the Action Level (200 Bq m^-3) and there are no significant changes to your home or your living style you should consider remediation (see the answer to the second question). If the test was carried out for a previous occupier or you have improved your home or added an extension or converted a basement you should consider re-measuring the radon level.

Further information is available on this website.

How often should householders retest their radon levels after remediation?

HPA advises householders to retest their radon levels every 5 to 10 years after remediation, and after any major building works, such as new double glazing, central heating, adding an extension, or converting a basement, to check that the remediation remains effective. In addition, regular, say quarterly, simple visual or audio checks should be made to ensure any fans are still operating.

Remediation

What should I do if the radon level in my home has been reduced but is still above the Action Level (200 Bq m-3)?
If you have reduced your radon level but it is still above the Action Level, you should carry out further works to reduce your level, if possible to below the Target Level (100 Bq m^-3). In some homes this may not be practical but, by taking action to reduce your radon level, you will have reduced your future radon exposure and your risk of lung cancer.

What should I do if the radon level in my home has been reduced to below the Action Level (200 Bq m^-3) but is still above the Target Level (100 Bq m^-3)?

If you have reduced your radon level but it is still above the Target Level, you should consider carrying out further work to reduce your level, if possible to below the Target Level. In some homes this may not be practical but by taking action to reduce your radon level you will have reduced your future radon exposure and your risk of lung cancer.