Where do we find radon?

Radon is everywhere

When we conducted our own studies at Radonova, we found that awareness of radon and associated risks is relatively good in the UK. Most people understand that radon can be found anywhere; however the majority of respondents to our survey said that they did not believe radon was present where they lived. These conclusions were also confirmed by studies conducted in Canada.

Radon gas is everywhere. The key question is: how much radon is too much? In order to reduce the number of lung cancer cases in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency has declared the target value for radon in indoor air should not be greater than 100 Bq/m³. However, there are a variety of reasons why this threshold is often exceeded, no matter where you live in the country.

Brief facts – where you’ll find radon

• Radon can be found in soil throughout the United Kingdom. However the concentration may vary, depending on the type of soil and the amount of uranium it contains
• Even in areas classified as low-risk, radon is likely present indoors in sufficiently high concentrations to pose a problem
• Radon may also come from building materials themselves, although is very uncommon

Reducing radon content – simple life insurance

A common reason homeowners do not measure radon is that they believe any remedial works will be expensive and complicated. However, this is rarely the case. If measurements indicate radon content above the 100 Bq/m³ target value, there are simple, cost-effective solutions available to address the problem.

Therefore, the resolution of excessive radon levels is therefore a cheap form of life insurance that reduces the risk even more if you or your family members are being affected by lung cancer caused by radon. If you own your home and you address a radon content level that exceeds the target value, you can increase the value of your home when the time comes to sell.

How much does it cost to fix a high radon content level?

Remedial works to reduce a high radon level costs on average between £3,000 and £5,000. Compared to the value of a home, this cost is negligible and also becomes an additional form of life insurance, greatly reducing the risk of developing lung cancer.