| If there isn't enough to think of already when buying | | | | inserting an underfloor sump from which the gas is |
| a new home, I don't expect that you have | | | | then pumped away from the house. The average |
| considered the danger of Radon. Neither had I, until | | | | cost of this is around £1,000, or $1,750, and also |
| my solicitor brought it to my attention and I began | | | | by improving the ventilation under the floors, usual |
| to look into the matter in some detail. | | | | costs around £500 or $875. A simple Radon test |
| So what is Radon, and where is it prevalent? Radon | | | | pack costs around fifty quid. If you are considering |
| is a radio active gas that does occur naturally and is | | | | buying a new house, or indeed an older property in |
| surprisingly the second biggest cause of lung cancer | | | | the south-west of England it is a good idea to check |
| deaths in Great Britain, after cigarettes. | | | | whether these anti Radon measures are already built |
| Large areas of the south-west of England are based | | | | in. They often are in these areas, though you should |
| on rock formations that contain and generate | | | | still check to be safe. |
| unusually large amounts of Radon. This can mean that | | | | And if you are selling a property in these areas it is |
| the gas poses a potential hazard for property | | | | as well to have checks carried out too, because high |
| owners in many areas of Somerset, Devon and | | | | levels can hold up house sales, or you may be faced |
| Cornwall. So it makes sense if you are buying a | | | | with a proportion of the sales total deducted and |
| house in these areas that you take precautions and | | | | held in trust, until a result is known, and the problem |
| consequently the problem can be eliminated. | | | | rectified. |
| Radon occurs naturally and it derives from decaying | | | | In Great Britain you can find further information of |
| radium, which is itself a product of decaying uranium | | | | the Radon problem from the Health Protection |
| in the rocks and soil itself. In the south-west of | | | | Agency who publish a booklet entitled "Radon, a |
| England there is a band of rock that runs from near | | | | guide for homebuyers and sellers", and you can |
| Taunton in Somerset, right down to Penzance in the | | | | obtain further information of this booklet at their |
| west and beyond, but there are also many other | | | | website which is www. hpa.org.uk/radiation |
| areas at high risk in the south-west of England. | | | | This problem occurs in many parts of the world of |
| The gas can build up in houses to amounts in excess | | | | course, and in many areas it is little thought of, never |
| of what is called the "action level", namely 200 | | | | mind investigated and dealt with, so if you are buying |
| Becquerels per cubic metre. | | | | a second property in an unusual area or country, it |
| The good news is that there are ways to eliminate | | | | might be a good idea to ask your legal team to |
| the Radon problem in domestic properties and it | | | | investigate the problem thoroughly before contracts |
| doesn't cost a fortune to do so. These include | | | | are signed. |