Airtech offers social housing providers a complete solution to help protect residents from the risks caused by radon gas in the home. Domestic exposure to radon increases the risk of lung cancer, with 1,000-2,000 deaths each year estimated to be caused by exposure to the gas.
Since Landlords have a responsibility to their tenants under the Duty of Care and the Housing Act to provide a safe home, radon is a major consideration for social housing providers.
Airtech has 30 years of experience in radon prevention and offers a full range of products and services, from radon testing to full remediation of housing stock.
A naturally occurring colourless, odourless radioactive gas, radon disperses harmlessly into the air outdoors. However, once it finds its way indoors, through gaps and cracks in floors and walls, it may build up to potentially harmful levels. Every building has radon and in most areas the levels are low, however, some buildings in radon-affected areas have higher levels. Buildings in these areas need to be tested for radon. High levels can be reduced with simple measures.
Airtech offers social housing providers the peace of mind that it can effectively test housing stock for radon through an efficiently organised programme to ensure all required properties are tested within necessary time scales. To ensure accurate testing, Airtech leaves test pods in properties for a three-month period to help ensure correct radon readings are collected.
“We always recommend testing first using our radon detectors which are small unobtrusive pods which are placed in your property for up to three months. The pods are then analysed by our laboratory to determine the radon level in a property expressed in Becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3),” explains Jeremy Cleeter, sales director at Airtech Environmental Systems. “Once tested, if a home is above 200Bq/m3, then we will advise remediation measures.”
The action level set by the UK government for homes is 200Bq/m3. If a home has a radon level above 200Bq/m3, it is recommended by Public Health England (PHE) to take action to reduce the level.
If remediation is needed, Airtech will recommend an appropriate solution to fit the levels of radon present. This could be installing positive input ventilation (PIV), which forces contaminated air out of a home by introducing fresh air into the property. Alternatively, in properties with very high levels of radon an active radon sump, fitted with a fan, may be required. Sumps work effectively under solid floors, and under suspended floors if the ground is covered with concrete or a membrane.
The amount of radon gas released varies greatly depending on where you live, and is more likely to be found in areas where the geology features concentrations of granite and limestone. Airtech has been a key player in radon preventative measures for many years in Devon and Cornwall, where radon levels are naturally very high and has worked to help reduce the radon levels in properties around the UK.