Risks associated with radon
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Expert advice is that exposure to high levels of radon over long
periods can increase the risk of lung cancer. The council gives
advice, and, in some cases grant aid, to help people reduce high
levels of radon in their homes.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has set an 'Action
Level' of 200 becquerels per cubic metre of radon in air which
should not be exceeded. More information can be found on the
Health Protection Agency website
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South Somerset information
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You can see our radon leaflet for further information.
Also, for a small fee, you can get information
about likely results in any postcode area (including South
Somerset) by going to the national
ukradon website
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I am thinking of buying a house, is there a quick way to find
out what the radon levels are in it?
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Not usually. You can ask the vendor if the property has ever
been tested and, if so, what the result was. If not, then there is
no quick test which will give you a reliable result.
However, for a small fee, you can get basic information
about likely results in any postcode area by going to
the
ukradon website.
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Are the results of tests ever published?
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| Not for individual properties or roads. Average results are
produced by the HPA for ten-kilometre grid squares and are used for
deciding what precautions are needed against radon in new
buildings. |
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What can I do if radon in my house is above the Action
Level?
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| There are several ways of reducing levels of radon. These
usually involve increasing ventilation below floors or providing
under-floor sumps to collect the gas and vent it safely to the
external air. |
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How do I find out what level of radon is present in my
house?
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You can find out by going to the
Health Protection Agency website.
For a fee (currently £39.95) they will send you a radon testing
kit, which is essentially two small pieces of plastic. These should
be left, one in the living room and the other in a bedroom, for
three months. The kit is then returned to the HPA for analysis and
the results, showing the level of radon in your house, are returned
to you in complete confidence.
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| Can I get a grant to help pay for these
works? |
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Possibly. If your house is affected by radon above the Action
Level of 200 becquerels per cubic metre, then, subject to
budget, a Home Repair Assistance
Grant may be available. This is for private homeowners
over the age of 18 who are in receipt of one of the following
benefits:
- income support
- income-related employment and support allowance
- income-based jobseeker's allowance
- working tax credit with an income of less than £16040
- housing benefit
- council tax benefit
- disabled person's tax credit
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