Measurement, monitoring and mitigation
Most people go through their lives without thinking about radon. This noble gas is invisible, has no smell and you wouldn’t notice it in a room. But did you know that radon is estimated to cause 1,100 deaths across the UK each year? This is equivalent to around two-thirds of the number of people killed on roads in Great Britain last year.
With growing awareness around this silent killer and more regulatory scrutiny, housing providers are under increasing pressure to have a strategy for managing radon. In this article, we’ll explore the dangers of radon, housing providers’ strategies to manage it and the regulatory drivers they need to be aware of.
An invisible killer
Radon is a radioactive gas occurring naturally in the ground. It’s produced from small amounts of uranium naturally decaying in bedrock, especially granites or shales. Because of this, radon levels vary greatly across the country; housing providers can get a rough view of how much radon is at a property using UKHSA’s radon map or order a survey for greater detail.
Radon naturally accumulates in homes, especially during the winter when rising air from heating draws it out of the ground and closed windows keep it trapped indoors. You won’t immediately notice high concentrations of radon but over time they can increase the risk of lung cancer. Cancer Research UK estimates that 5 per cent of lung cancers in the UK are linked to radon exposure (this risk is significantly higher for people who smoke).
The average radon level in UK homes is around 20 Bq/m³ (Becquerels per cubic metre). The UKHSA has set out an ‘action level’ of 200 Bq/m³, above which it recommends that radon levels at a property should be reduced. It also sets out a ‘target level’ of 100 Bq/m³ for remediation and preventative work. If radon levels are below the action level but above the target level, remediation should at least be considered.
Mitigation strategies
Because radon is invisible and odourless, detection and monitoring systems are needed to check radon levels against these thresholds. There are two common ways of doing this. The first is the use of single-use radon detectors which can be installed in homes in areas identified as being at high risk from radon, left for three months, then removed and sent to a certified lab for testing. This provides an accurate reading of average radon levels at a property over this period.
Another option is a continuous radon monitor, which can be installed at a property and gives constant readings over time. These readings can then be used to determine the average level of radon. This reduces the need for contractors’ visits, and multiple single-use detectors can provide increased visibility of seasonal changes.
However, when using a continuous radon monitor, housing providers should be careful about which sensors they use. Consumer-grade systems might not always provide the detail, reliability and accuracy of higher-end sensors.
Where a housing provider identifies a high level of radon at a property, they must then take the necessary measures to reduce it. The most common option is a radon sump, a system that uses a fan to extract radon from under the building, but other forms of ventilation are also sometimes used.
Looking towards Awaab’s Law
Radon falls within the radiation hazard under the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Because of this, it will be covered by phase three of Awaab’s Law in England (expected to come into force in 2027).
Awaab’s Law requires that housing providers investigate and repair hazards which fall under the regulation within tight timeframes. Phase one of this regulation covers damp and mould, as well as emergency hazards, and many housing providers have faced a large number of disrepair cases since the regulation came into force.
Many housing providers are now using environmental monitoring systems such as Aico’s HomeLink technology to identify high-risk properties and carry out pre-emptive maintenance during the summer in order to reduce the strain on resources during the winter.
While radon isn’t as obvious as damp and mould, information on risk levels is publicly available and consumer air-quality sensors are increasingly common in the UK. A robust, proactive way to identify high-risk properties will be crucial going forward.
There is also the question of how to monitor the effectiveness of any interventions at the property. Awaab’s Law requires that housing providers take the necessary steps to make the property safe and prevent recurrence, which means demonstrating that these measures have been effective. This typically means retesting properties with a separate single-use detector after a radon sump has been installed.
Continuous monitoring
As the way that housing providers manage radon continues to evolve, continuous monitoring can provide a valuable complement to traditional testing methods. Rather than providing a snapshot of radon levels over a fixed testing period, continuous monitors can provide greater visibility of how levels change over time, including the impact of seasonal and environmental factors.
For housing providers, this additional insight could help identify which properties might require further investigation, support more informed decisions around remediation and provide an ongoing way to assess whether interventions have worked. For example, where mitigation measures such as a radon sump have been installed, continuous monitoring can help housing providers to track changes in radon levels over time and understand whether the intervention is having the intended benefit.
Continuous monitoring can also reduce the need for repeated visits by contractors and the installation and removal of multiple single-use detectors, helping housing providers take a more proactive approach to managing radon across their housing stock.
With increasing awareness of the risks associated with radon and greater regulatory focus on how housing providers identify and manage hazards, having reliable and accurate information about radon levels will become increasingly important.
Continuous monitoring has the potential to play an important role in helping housing providers move from periodic testing towards a more informed, proactive approach to radon management.
Luke Norcross-Evans is a product development executive at Aico.
For further details, please see: www.aico.co.uk.
