Typical questions about your home

Can I smell, see or taste radon?back to top

No. You cannot smell, see or taste radon. The only way to know if you have high radon levels in your home is to carry out a radon measurement. Radon is an inert gas which means that it does not react chemically nor is it flammable.

Is radon a new problem?back to top

No. Radon is well known as a health hazard in underground workplaces such as mines since the late 19th century. However, it is only since the 1980s that radon has been identified as a possible hazard in homes. Since then, a lot of work has been done in many countries, including Ireland, to make the public aware of the risks of living with high levels of radon.

How does radon get into buildings?back to top

Radon comes from the ground and gets into buildings mainly through cracks in floors or gaps around pipes or cables. As the pressure inside a building is slightly lower than the pressure outdoors, radon will be drawn from the ground into the building. This phenomenon is known as pressure-driven flow.

Can radon levels build up indefinitely?back to top

No. Although radon enters homes all the time, some is carried away by natural ventilation. Even in a home with good draught proofing and double glazing, the air changes several times a day. The vast majority of the radon which is in your home at any moment in time has entered in the preceding 12 hours.

What is a typical radon level in a house in Ireland?back to top

Radon levels vary from house to house depending on where the house is located, its construction type and how it is used. The average indoor radon level in Irish houses is 89 Bq/m3, although levels up to 550 times this value have been measured.

Do granite walls and granite counter tops cause high radon levels?back to top

No. The main source of radon in Ireland is the ground beneath the house and the amount of radon emitted by granite walls or counter tops is insignificant compared to what comes from the ground.

Is a neighbour's radon test result a good indication of the radon level in my home?back to top

No. Radon levels vary from house to house. The only way of knowing the level in your house is to have a measurement carried out in your own house.

Could radon account for other illnesses apart from lung cancer? back to top

No. According to current scientific knowledge, there is no other proven health effect associated with radon exposure. The risk of developing lung cancer depends on the level of radon present and the time one has been exposed.

What level of radon in a house should give cause for concern?back to top

The national Reference Level for long-term exposure to radon in a house, above which the need for remedial action should be considered, is 200 Bq/m³. Measurement should be made using two radon detectors each placed in a bedroom and a living room for at least three months. The average of the two rooms is seasonally corrected to take account of the months of the year that the measurement was made, and it is this seasonally corrected average that is compared to the national Reference Level.

Are high radon levels found only in granite areas?back to top

No. Although some of the High Radon Areas identified in Ireland can be associated with granite-type geology, not all granites give rise to high radon levels. Some other types of rock may also be the cause for high radon levels. Houses with high radon levels have been found in every county in Ireland.

Can rocks in the garden give high radon levels?back to top

No. Radon is rapidly diluted in the open air.

How long does a measurement take?back to top

The RPII recommends a minimum measurement duration of three months. This is because there can be significant day to day variations in radon levels. Therefore the only way of confidently assessing your radon risk is by carrying out a three month test.  Only the results of a measurement made over at least three months can be compared to the national Reference Level.

Can unoccupied homes be tested for radon?back to top

Yes. However it is likely that the result will be higher than when the home is lived in.  This is because once the home becomes occupied, there will be greater ventilation which will act to reduce the radon level.

Can I do a radon measurement over a shorter period?back to top

Yes. A short term test can be useful in giving an indication of the radon levels in a home.  For example if work has been carried out to reduce high radon levels in a home, a short term test may be used to give an early indication as to whether the work has been successful. However, a three month test will still be needed to determine if the radon levels are below the national Reference Level. Short term radon measurements of a few days are not recommended as a basis for deciding whether or not you have a radon problem.

How frequently should I test my home for radon?back to top

There is no need to re-measure unless you carry out major refurbishment work to your house. For example fitting new windows or building an extension and other such work that could in theory open up new entry routes for radon or prevent radon escaping from your house.

I have high levels of radon in my home - is there a radon grant to help me with the cost?back to top

There is no grant available to cover for the cost of radon remediation. Some radon reduction techniques are more expensive than others and each one will need to be assessed on a case by case basis. However the typical price for retrofitting a radon sump into a standard house is approximately €1500-€2000. Other, less expensive options are available, for example, improving the ventilation in your home by installing extra wall vents. However, the most suitable method will depend on the radon levels and on the type of building.

A Scheme of Housing Aid for Older People is available to assist older people, generally over 60 years, to have repairs or improvements carried out to their homes. Where a suite of works is being grant aided under this scheme, Local Authorities may also, as part of the package of works, assist with the provision of radon remediation works, where applicable.

I am building a new house - what radon prevention measures are required?back to top

Specific guidance on radon prevention measures for new homes is contained in this document which is published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

This Guidance specifies that all homes built since 1st July 1998 must be fitted with a standby radon sump which can be activated at a later stage, to reduce high radon concentrations subsequently found. For homes built in High Radon Areas, the installation of a radon barrier as well as a standby radon sump is required.

I am building a new house – can I have the site tested for radon?back to top

Although techniques are available for measuring radon levels in soil, it is very difficult to determine what the level in a new house will be from the results of soil measurements. For this reason, the RPII does not consider site radon measurements to be a reliable means of predicting, before construction, whether a building will have a high radon level. Instead the RPII recommends that the radon levels be measured soon after the house is occupied.

Will increasing the ventilation in a house reduce the indoor radon concentration?back to top

Increasing the ventilation, especially on the ground floor, may reduce the indoor radon levels and this is effective up to about 400 Bq/m³. Other methods of radon reduction may be required for radon levels above this value.

Does radon affect only certain types of houses?back to top

No. Radon is present in varying amounts in all types of houses, new or old, detached, semi-detached or terraced. You cannot make any confident prediction of your radon levels based upon the location, construction or age of your house. The RPII recommends that all householders, especially those living in High Radon Areas, should test for radon.

Will high levels of radon affect the value of my house? back to top

Where a high radon level is detected, it can usually be successfully reduced at a cost which is very small when compared with the value of the house. If a buyer is aware that the house is located in a High Radon Area, they may ask if the radon level has been measured but it is not a legal requirement.

I want to buy a house - what should I do with regards to radon?back to top

You could ask the seller if a radon measurement was ever made in the house. However, there is no legal requirement to do so. Even if the house is located in a High Radon Area, it does not necessarily mean that it has high radon levels. The best course of action is to have a test done once you have moved in. Where a high radon level is detected, you can successfully reduce it at a cost which is very small when compared with the value of the house.

I am interested in buying a house - can I find out from the RPII if it has measured the radon level?back to top

No. The RPII provides a confidential measurement service to homeowners. The RPII will not release the result of any measurement to anyone other than the person who requested the original measurement. You should ask the current owners if they have ever had the house tested for radon.

Is radon only a problem in old houses?back to top

No. Even homes built in recent years (since July 1998) which should have protection against radon have been found with high radon levels.

If my house is fitted with a radon barrier, can I be sure I won't have a radon problem?back to top

No. Even if the radon barrier has been installed, it could have been damaged during the construction of the house. A single gap or hole in the barrier can make it ineffective. The only way of knowing is by testing your home for radon.

My house has a radon sump in the foundations so I do not have a radon problemback to top

No. Sumps that are installed at construction stage are stand-by (or inactive) radon sumps. Standby sumps cannot, and are not intended to, stop radon. They are a potential means of evacuating radon should the need arise. If, following a measurement, high radon levels are found the sump can be activated by adding a fan.

If my neighbour has tested his home, will my results be similar?back to top

No. Every house is different. The geology or type of ground under your house might be similar to your neighbour’s but your house is not exactly the same and you do not necessarily have similar lifestyles. The only way to know if you have high radon levels is to have your home tested.

If I don't live in a High Radon Area, can I be sure I won't have a radon problem?back to top

No. If you do not live in a High Radon Area, it simply means you have a lower chance of having a radon problem, it does not mean you won’t have a problem. Equally, living in a High Radon Area does not automatically mean that you will have a radon problem.

Will installing a radon sump disrupt my household and damage my floors?back to top

No. If a radon sump is required, it will take approximately a day to install and all the excavation work is normally done from outside the house, with no disruption to the household. Installing a sump simply means removing the equivalent of a bucket full of soil or hard core from underneath the house and attaching a fan onto the pipe work which will link the sump itself to the outside. 

What is fracking?back to top

Hydraulic fracturing of a geological layer is often referred to as fracking or hydrofracking.  The process involves the creation of a fracture in a rock layer, by means of a pressurised fluid in order to release petroleum, natural gas, coal-seam gas or other substances for extraction.  The energy from the injection of a highly pressurised fluid, such as water, creates new channels in the rock which can increase the extraction rate and ultimately the recovery of fossil fuels.

Will fracking affect radon levels in my house?back to top

Radon levels in a home are principally influenced by the underlying local geology and soil composition as well as by the characteristics of the house.  High radon levels in homes can occur in any part of the country, however, they are more likely to be found in High Radon Areas. There is no evidence to link elevated radon levels in homes with industrial processes carried out in the vicinity of a home.  The RPII's advice is the same for all householders: the only way of knowing if high radon levels are present in your home is by carrying out a radon test.

Does the RPII have a role in relation to fracking activities in Ireland?back to top

No.  The principal agencies that are likely to have roles in relation to fracking activities in Ireland are:

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR)

The relevant Local Authority and possibly An Bord Pleanála

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA)

Where can I get further information in fracking?back to top

Information on fracking is published on the EPA's website:

http://www.epa.ie/environmentinfocus/faq/#d.en.30504