This property was surveyed and found to have an average radon level of 286 Bq/meter cube.
A constructional survey of the property was carried out, details of which are presented here.
The radon level, at 286 bqm3 is above the government recommended level therefore the following solutions might be appropriate.
It is likely that simple sealing and general maintenance will significantly reduce the radon levels within this property.
The floor in the kitchen /dining room is in poor condition. Replacing it may be more appropriate than sealing it.
The services in the bathroom and Kitchen are poorly sealed where they penetrate the floor. They should be sealed as a first option, but given the poor condition of the floor this is unlikely to make any dramatic difference to the overall radon level. An alternative would be to install a positive pressurised system. It is impossible from a visual inspection how air tight the house is. However in this particular case the windows are a poorly fitted and the house has a chimney. Both will reduce the efficiency of a positive pressurisation system. Further, the house relies on localised heating. Any draught generated by a fan mounted in the upstairs sealing may not be acceptable to the householder. Installing a heater in the system might solve this problem, but would increase running costs significantly.
As the ground floor is of solid construction it may be appropriate to install a sump system. The fact that the house is relatively small probably makes it difficult to locate a sump system in a sensible position internally, but it also means that an externally excavated sump located at the rear of the property is likely to be effective. The only difficulty might be locating the pipe work and fan externally.
A further worth consideration is to liaise with the neighbouring property owners to see whether a communal sump system serving more than one property would be appropriate.
This should be considered a long term monitoring has shown that the adjacent properties have high radon levels.
Additional information Required:
If a specification is to be drawn up to carry out remedial works the following will need to be provided.
Annotated and dimensioned sketch of parts of the house to be affected by remedial works, to indicate construction materials. Positions of any services around remedial works. Any special conditions to be included in the specifications. |
