You don’t always have to dig up the floor to reduce radon. It’s a myth that high levels of radon can only be reduced by digging up the entire ground floor in a dwelling and installing a membrane barrier or sump pump fan.
Radon control can often be achieved by less disruptive and lower cost solutions. It’s even possible to install under-floor ventilation systems entirely from outside a property. Other solutions such as positive pressure systems frequently solve the problem.
Another misconception is that the discovery of radon gas in your home will devalue it and render it unsaleable. It’s likely that if you are in a radon affected area the prospective buyer will have been advised to check radon levels with you. In this case the purchaser or their solicitor may well ask about ‘retention’. This is a sum of money held back from the sale to help with remedial costs. The money is initially held by one of the solicitors for a period of six months, to allow time for new owners to move in and undertake the three month test, analysis and receipt of a radon report. If the result is below the Action Level, the money goes to the seller. If the result 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 is returned to the seller.
Before taking any action it’s always worthwhile checking myths and truths and then if you are still concerned invest in a radon test kit or call in an expert for a free survey. |
