The following thing a position renter should be cognizant of is the consequence Rn can hold on their wellness. It is chiefly our lungs that are exposed to and can be damaged by Rn. Radon produces a radioactive dust which is left in the air and so inhaled. This dust can go caught in air passages and release radiation that amendss the lungs which in bend increases the hazard of lung malignant neoplastic disease. Radon causes about 1,100 deceases from lung malignant neoplastic disease per twelvemonth throughout the UK. The higher the Rn degrees in a belongings and the longer the exposure, the greater the hazard ( www.ukradon.org ) .
Before a position renter agrees to subscribe for a belongings they should ask if a 3 month Rn trial has been carried out. To acquire an accurate Rn measuring two sensors should be placed in a belongings, one in the life room and one in an occupied sleeping room, these suites are recommended as they are the suites of the belongings that are used the most and will therefore give an indicant of the degrees of Rn an person in the belongings would be exposed to. After 3 months sensors should be analysed by the appropriate administration, for illustration UK Radon, and consequences so given to the homeowner/ landlord. Radon sensors are safe and easy to utilize. A clear piece of plastic inside the sensors shell proctors the harm caused by Rn. The Rn degrees within a house can change over clip and from room to room. This is why the trial is carried out over a 3 month period, to let for fluctuation degrees ( www.ukradon.org ) . As Rn degrees are mensurable they are non considered to be a defect when merchandising or allowing a belongings ( Bokalders & A ; Block, 2010 ) . Upon proving a belongings if the consequence comes back good below the Government recommended action degree of 200 Bq/m3 so no farther action demands to be taken. However if the trial shows a consequence near to this degree so farther action demands to be considered ( www.bre.co.uk ) .
Land Rn is the most common signifier of Rn gas in places ( Bokalders & A ; Block, 2010 ) . Therefore the purpose of any remedial work is to cut down the Rn degrees come ining the edifice. It is of import to reassure any perspective renters that radon degrees within edifices can be reduced. Melville & A ; Gordon 1997 province that there are 2 chief ways in which Rn can be prevented from come ining a edifice. Firstly is by utilizing inactive methods which consist of making airtight, well radon proof barriers across the whole of the edifice. The inactive method is preferred for new building. In bing edifices where it is difficult to accomplish the inactive system other methods may necessitate to be used. These are referred to as active systems, in utilizing an active method a Rn extraction system becomes an built-in portion of the services within the house. These services will add to the running costs and care of the belongings for the belongingss life span.
One manner to make this is to suit a radon sump. A Rn sumps occupation is to change by reversal the difference in the air force per unit area between habitable suites and the land below the floor in order to forestall air incorporating Rn from come ining the belongings ( Melville & A ; Gordon, 1997 ) . Sumps can be active or inactive. An active sump is the most efficient. They are powered by an electric fan and can cut down high measures of Rn. Passive sumps are less effectual and do non hold a fan. This method can be effectual if radon concentration degrees are about 100 Bq/m3 ( www.ukradon.org ) .
Sumps consist of a hole in the land below the flooring slab connected by pipe work to the exterior of the belongings. If it is active sump suction will so be applied through a fan in the pipe work to pull out Rn. As fans cause noise and quiver where they are located is of great importance. Ideally fans should be mounted on a portion of the edifice that will be unresponsive to quivers and placed in an country in which the noise will non be a nuisance. Whether a sump is standard or mini-sized or externally excavated air current currents over pipe mercantile establishments can run a sump. The pipe work used to build a sump should be self run outing in order to avoid fans going damaged by condensation. When put ining a Rn sump it is imperative that it is non located below a room incorporating an unfastened flued contraption or a unfastened fire as this could potentially make a state of affairs in which the sump draws flue gases back into the belongings ( Melville & A ; Gordon, 1997 ) .
Another method that can be used to cut down Rn degrees within a edifice is sealing. Sealing any big holes, clefts or spreads within a belongings can cut down Rn degrees, but the decrease in the Rn degrees within the edifice is non ever every bit big as hoped for. This is due to the complex manner in which spreads and clefts appear and exist within houses. However this method is still an appealing option for Rn degrees up to 400-500 Bq/m3 and is comparatively inexpensive ( Melville & A ; Gordon, 1997 ) .
An alternate technique that can be used to cover with Rn gas is positive airing. Carefully and efficaciously the airing in a house Rn degrees are in bend reduced as they become diluted it is besides of import to cut down the stack consequence. The stack consequence occurs when warm air lifting through a edifice draws Rn with it from the land and into the home. It should be noted that airing is the least effectual method when seeking to cut down Rn degrees and should merely be used if the Rn degree is 200-300Bq/m3 or if airing is being combined with another method ( www.bre.co.uk ) . To acquire the best consequences places must besides be well-insulated and draft free. The DOE ( 2002 ) highlight the fact that highlight the fact that airing and accommodations to the air force per unit area can cut down the drive force that assists the entry of Rn via dirt gas.
Positive pressurisation can besides be used and is effectual in homes with Rn degrees up to 700 Bq/m3. To make positive pressurisation a fan unit is installed, normally in the Attic and is used to blow filtered fresh air into the house ( www.bre.co.uk ) . This fan will so blow filtered fresh air into the house therefore increasing the air force per unit area and airing degrees which will in bend cut down and except Rn from the belongings ( Melville and Gordon, 1997 ) . A standard positive pressurisation system consists of a fan and optional warmer attached to a ceiling diffusor by flexible ducting. Fans normally come attached to anti-vibration saddle horses to cut down noise degrees. A filter is besides fitted to the fan to guarantee clean air is blown into the house. For this method to work expeditiously and right air being blown down into the house must be replaced by air from outside the house. In relation to this method at that place have been ailments that it creates checkerss and cold countries in houses that do non hold full cardinal heating systems ( www.bew.co.uk ) .
Under floor airing is another method that can be employed when covering with Rn. Under floor airing can be active or natural. Many belongingss have suspended land floors with infinite below them by holding a good airing system in topographic point in this infinite, indoor Rn degrees can be reduced. This is referred to as natural under floor airing. When covering with this it is of import to cognize that there are two types of suspended floors. Firstly is timber, a floor that consists of floor boards or supported hardboards on supported joists. The 2nd is concrete, a floor made up of supported concrete beams. This type of flooring is more prevailing in modern places. In some places under floor blowholes will hold already been built into the belongings at land degree and over clip will hold become out of use and are no longer supplying any airing to the under floor infinite. It is of import to do certain that blowholes are kept clear from any obstructor. Another solution may be to replace older manner air bricks as they have smaller gaps and replace them with modern plastic blowholes that have bigger gaps. It is of import that blowholes in pit walls are sleeved through the pit to the under floor infinite ( www.ukradon.org ) . Ideally blowholes should be situated on 2 opposite walls and be big plenty to give and gap of 150mm for each meter tally of wall ( Melville & A ; Gordon, 1997 ) . This method should be used is the radon degree is between 200-300 Bq/m3. When sing utilizing this method it is besides of import to look into if any service pipes are under floor and if they are being put at hazard of stop deading. If this is the instance any pipes need to be insulated first ( www.bre.co.uk ) .
Active under floor airing is utilised when natural under floor airing is uneffective. A fan is installed and used to blow or into or pull out air from the under floor infinite ( www.ukradon.org ) . For mean sized homes a individual fan should be equal. The fan should hold a flow rate that enables it to interchange air in the under floor infinite up to 10 times per hr. Fans can be installed both internally and externally. External fans should appropriately protected to level IP54 as set out in BS 5490. To avoid noise nuisance it is of import that the fan is installed off from noise sensitive countries ( www.bew.co.uk ) .
As a landlord there is a responsibility to hold in topographic point a system that is best suited to cover with the degree of Rn within a belongings. It is of import to look at all options ways if cut downing Rn degrees and choose the best solution to rectify the job. A system that may impact and alter the life style of the homes residents is unwanted and improbable to win in the long tally. To find what the best solution would be a landlord should work with contractors and the renter to discourse what solution is best to cover with the Rn and so all parties involved are cognizant of both the long and short term effects of the method being used. Any position or new renters should be made cognizant by their landlord that there is no warrant that the solution adopted will cut down Rn degrees within the place and that the job may necessitate to be tackled in phases ( www.bre.co.uk ) .
hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bre.co.uk/radon/56998_qRadonSht2PP.pdf
hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bre.co.uk/radon/56998_lRadonSht2PP.pdf
hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bre.co.uk/radon/56998_kRadonSht2PP.pdf
hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bre.co.uk/radon/56998_nRadonSht2PP.pdf
hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bre.co.uk/radon/56998_jRadonSht2PP.pdf
