A chara, – David Sowby (September 23rd) raises the issue of the dangers of radon levels in our homes. Both he and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland he cites seem to assume that the low uptake of radon testing boils down to homeowner ignorance. I find this assumption patronising and frustrating.
I am aware of the risks of radon but I will not be testing my home. If I had my home tested and it was found to have high levels of radon I imagine my home would lose value or become unsellable. The only solution, it appears, for an existing house where a high level of radon is found is to effectively remove the flooring and dig up the entire area of the ground floor to put in a protective barrier and a sump. I found this information hard to glean. An estimate of the cost of such an operation was not available, but one assumes it would be considerable.
Since I cannot afford same, I will not be testing my home. No amount of hand-wringing from the likes of Dr Sowby will change these realities. Pursuing funding to support homeowners to make their homes safe from radon poisoning, rather than harassing them for their possible misfortune and future ill-health, might be a more meaningful way to address the issues Dr Sowby raises. – Is mise,