Avoid buying houses with high Radon levels

GDB2222

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20090721/tsc-life-us-nuclear-radon-risk-011ccfa.html

"New studies have found direct evidence of a lung cancer risk from the presence of colorless, odorless radon gas in many homes, a United Nations committee said in a report released Tuesday. Officials on the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) said the finding provided the first quantifiable evidence of the risk in homes from radon, long seen as a potential health risk."

I have a nasty feeling that radon is going to be seen as a growing concern for buyers as more information gradually emerges about the health risks. As you don't get a discount for buying in a high Radon area currently, it seemsbetter to avoid taking the risk (both health and financial).

mizzbiz

And how do we find out if we are at risk from Radon Radiation in our homes??? I've never heard of this before.

Edited to say - oh, background radiation. This is everywhere anyway.

If anyone wants more info (as the OP is quite alarming) then here is the DEFRA guide
http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/radioactivity/background/pdf/buyerseller-guide.pdf

warehouse

The latest scare story to sell newspapers. What next, rising damp actually exists?

PasturesNew

Radon's been about years, I've heard of people needing to get radon measurements for a mortgage application. And for some houses you can put fans to circulate the air under them ... but it was always a bit of an odd one.

Here it is (map): http://ukradon.org/article.php?key=indicativemap

dopester

There have been quite a few scare stories in the US, picking up last year, about radon being emitted by granite kitchen countertops, floors ect.

Although there are conflicting stories, it is enough to concern me.

http://granite-counters.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-radon-emitted-by-granite.html

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

GDB2222

mizzbiz wrote: »

If anyone wants more info (as the OP is quite alarming) then here is the DEFRA guide
http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/radioactivity/background/pdf/buyerseller-guide.pdf

I'm sorry if I sounded alarming. I just quoted the first paragraph of the article I linked to. My main point is that if people take more notice of Radon they will want Radon surveys of individual houses, and properties with high Radon will become hard to sell.

In most cases changes can be made to the house to reduce Radon levels, ventilated sumps and gas-proof membranes for example, but these changes can be very expensive. So, there's a significant financial risk even though the health risks can probably be abated.

UK Radon standards are much laxer than in the USA, and historically the UK has tended to catch up on these sorts of things eventually. So, a house that meets current UK standards easily may in future be labelled as higher risk.

littlesnuggy

GDB2222 wrote: »

I'm sorry if I sounded alarming. I just quoted the first paragraph of the article I linked to. My main point is that if people take more notice of Radon they will want Radon surveys of individual houses, and properties with high Radon will become hard to sell.

In most cases changes can be made to the house to reduce Radon levels, ventilated sumps and gas-proof membranes for example, but these changes can be very expensive. So, there's a significant financial risk even though the health risks can probably be abated.

UK Radon standards are much laxer than in the USA, and historically the UK has tended to catch up on these sorts of things eventually. So, a house that meets current UK standards easily may in future be labelled as higher risk.

The bit in bold isn't true. The two main methods of lowering radon levels in existing homes are to install a positive pressure unit in the property (circa £1500 - £2000) or dig a sump under the building with an inline fan attached to it (circa £2000 - £3000). In the grand scheme of things when buying a house, that isn't exactly a huge cost.

Radon is certainly going to receive wider attention over the coming months, due to a series of regulatory changes, however raising awareness and avoiding some of the resultant 2000 odd lung cancer deaths each year can only be a good thing! A building with high levels of radon should in no way be thought of as permanantly blighted and unsaleable.

FuzzyMoose

I hate scare mongering stories like this:mad:

Yes Radon is radioactive and could theoretically give you cancer (very VERY theoretically). In practice you are a a FAR higher risk of getting ill through traffic pollution etc

Even that pales into insignificance compared to simply walking ONCE through a cloud of smoke exhaled by a smoker.

Just the simple mention of radiation is usually enough to drive normally sensible people running for the hills - it is all about perspective.

All you need to do (if you are really concerned) if make sure you house is well ventilated

(Sorry for the rant)

Evee2000

There is a bit on the HIP search document which highlights the Radon risk for the sale property's particular area.

lincroft1710

I believe Cornwall has a high incidence of Radon as do parts of Northamptonshire. It certainly not new in UK, I first heard about it 20 yrs ago.

Amanita_2

Definitely not new. There was a radon survey done on our house when we bought it 5 years ago. We didn't particuarly ask for one, it just appeared with the rest of the survey/search reports commissioned by our solicitor.