Your Home
Radon in your home
The greatest health risk from radiation in Ireland is caused by radon. It accounts for 56 per cent of the total radiation dose received by the Irish population. Between 150 and 200 lung cancer deaths in Ireland every year can be linked to radon.
What is radon?
- Radon is a radioactive gas which is naturally produced in the ground from the uranium present in small quantities in all rocks and soils
- You cannot smell, see or taste radon
- Radon can only be measured with special detectors.
back to top
Why is radon a problem?
- Radon is a radioactive gas which produces tiny radioactive particles. When inhaled, these particles are deposited in the airways and on lung tissue, giving a radiation dose that can cause lung cancer
- Your risk of contracting lung cancer from exposure to radon depends on how much radon you have been exposed to and for how long
- When you are exposed for a long period of time to high levels of radon, you increase your risk of developing lung cancer
- Radon is in the same group of carcinogens as asbestos and tobacco smoke
- There is no scientific evidence linking radon with any other types of respiratory illnesses or other cancers.
back to top
Could radon be a problem in my home?
- The only way to know if radon is a problem in your home is by having a radon test carried out
- Radon levels can vary a lot between buildings so, even if your neighbours have measured radon in their home, you should also have your home tested
- Outdoors, radon is not a problem.
back to top
How does radon get into my home?
- Radon can enter a building from the ground through small cracks in floors and through gaps around pipes or cables
- Radon tends to be sucked from the ground into a building because the indoor air pressure is usually slightly lower than outdoors. This pressure difference occurs because warm indoor air is less dense than outdoor air.
back to top
Are some areas more at risk from radon than others?
- In some parts of the country, called High Radon Areas, the chances of having a radon problem in your home are relatively high
- A High Radon Area is one where the RPII predicts that 10 per cent or more of homes will have radon levels above 200 Bq/m3
- You can check to see if you are in a High Radon Area by looking at our map
- Even if you do not live in a High Radon Area, you still may have high levels in your home. The only way to know is to have your home tested.
- We have also compiled results by county from the measurements we have undertaken
back to top
How does a radon measurement work?
- A radon measurement is usually carried out by placing two small detectors, about the size of an air freshener, in your home for three months.
- One detector is placed in a bedroom the other in a living room - the places most occupied by the homeowner and family.
- Because they are measuring radon alll the time, it is important to place the detectors in the rooms immediately and always within 7 days.
- After three months, when the detectors are returned to the laboratory, they are analysed to see how much radon they have been exposed to.
- Once the results are known, a report is issued to the person who requested the measurement indicating the average level of radon in their home and advice on what to do next if it is a high result.
back to top
Where can I get a radon measurement?
- The RPII provide a simple and inexpensive radon measurement service for your home and for the workplce
- You can apply and pay through our our online sevice
- Alternatively, you can download, print and fill in an application form for your home or workplace and, depending on your payment method, post or fax it to us.
- Other companies also provide a measurement service and we have provided their details here for your convience.
back to top
Radon in drinking water
Radon levels in drinking water derived from surface water supplies are usually very low. However, high radon levels have been found in some groundwater supplies. Find out more about radon in drinking water.
back to top