Measuring Radon - UKradon

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Measuring radon

Radon address search

A report will tell you the estimated probability above the Action Level.

Order a report

Radon measurement pack

Find out the yearly average radon level for a property and if it is above or below the Action Level.

Order a domestic pack Order a workplace pack

Your questions answered

Find helpful and informative answers to your questions.

Everything you need to know about radon

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

Radon information

Check

A Radon Risk Report costs £3.90 inc. VAT and will tell you if your home is in a radon Affected Area. If it is, we recommend that the radon concentration should be measured.

Note for properties with basements: All occupied basements, those used for more than 50 hours per year, should be monitored regardless of radon potential.

Measure

A radon measurement is easy to complete, make sure you use a validated laboratory . UKHSA runs the validation scheme for laboratories and is a validated laboratory too, if you choose to test with us we will post you two detectors to place in your home: one in the living area and one in an occupied bedroom. After three months you post the detectors back to us in the pre-paid envelope provided. We analyse the detectors and post the results to you: the cost is £52.80 inc. VAT.

Act

If your result is at or above the UK Action Level of 200 Bq m-3, see our information on reducing radon. Sometimes a free re-measurement is available to check the remedial work.

If you have taken steps to reduce your radon level, please contact us to find out if you are eligible for a free retest from UKHSA. Please provide your name, address and the method of remediation you have used.

The detectors

Radon detectors are safe and simple to use: e.g., they can sit on a shelf. The hollow plastic shell contains a piece of clear plastic that records the damage caused by radon. The detectors do not emit anything and do not collect anything dangerous. However, they can be damaged by heat or submersion in water and should not be opened.

The test

The amount of radon varies over time and from room to room in a home. The test is carried out over three months to allow for variations in levels. The test is to determine your exposure, this is why we recommend testing the living area and bedroom as these are the rooms you and your family use the most. Order a domestic measurement pack or workplace measurement pack.

Short-term testing

Radon levels in houses vary substantially from day to day as they are influenced by weather conditions. The Action Level refers to the annual average concentration in a home. For this reason, it is preferred that radon measurements are carried out with two detectors (in a living area and bedroom) and are conducted over a reasonable period of time, typically three months. This averages out short-term fluctuations. Tests that are carried out over shorter periods will have greater uncertainty and are more likely to lead to ambiguous and inconclusive results.

The result

We aim to post the result and an explanation to you within four weeks of you returning the detectors to us. The result will give the yearly average radon level in your home and will tell you whether it is above or below the Action Level. The results will be less reliable:

• If there is a change of occupier during the test period
• If the home is unoccupied for more than a few weeks in the three months
• If there are on-going building works
• If the detectors are not put in place within a week of arriving
• If the test period is shorter than 3 months

If the result is near to or above the radon Action Level, we will provide information on radon remedies.

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