Radon in buildings, and how Heat Recovery Ventilation can play its part in protecting the occupants.

What is Radon?

Radon is an invisible - colourless, odourless, and tasteless, naturally occurring radioactive gas. It is released by the decay of uranium in rocks and soils.

Radon is a class A carcinogen, meaning there’s scientific evidence that it causes cancer in humans, the most common form being lung cancer, with 350 linked cases diagnosed in Ireland each year, with smokers particularly vulnerable.

If enough radon is breathed through the lungs over long periods of time, the tiny particles are deposited in the airways and result in a dose of radiation. This radiation has the ability to damage the bodies DNA structure, thus resulting in cancerous cells.

Recent collaboration between The Geological Survey of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, and the ESRI (Economic and Social Research Institute) and in conjunction with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has produced the updated the radon risk map (below) and included warnings that the number of homes at risk from radon throughout Ireland is significantly higher than previously estimated, up 45000 since 2002.

The EPA notes that the greatest radiation risks in Ireland is from radon, attributing 56% of the total that people are exposed to. When testing for radon levels within dwellings and structures, it is recommended that there is sufficient ventilation and it is noted that inadequate ventilation in buildings enables greater build ups of radon gas. The combination of the geology of the area, the construction type and again 'ventilation', all influence the amount of gas entering a building.

Ventilation systems and servicing.

A MVHR or HRV ventilation system will extract moist, stale, and potentially radon-contaminated indoor air and reintroduce fresh outdoor air whilst transferring the latent heat from the extract air to the supply air through the heat exchanger.

In conjunction with adequate commissioning of the system and ensuring a slight positive pressure, radon gases (where not deemed to be excessive) can be reduced significantly.

If a HRV ventilation system has issues such as clogged supply or extract vents and filters, the ability to purge contaminated air will be hindered significantly, hence the need to adhere to a regular maintenance or service schedule.

At HRV Engineering Services, we provide professional HRV servicing, balancing / commissioning and installation services, and our engineers are always happy to assist with any of your ventilation queries or needs. For more information, visit hrv-engineeringservices.com or contact us at 01 254 8575.