Tomture61
Self-builder
· Född i Luleå
· 6 267 posts
Tomture61
Self-builder
- Född i Luleå
- 6,267 posts
Gamma measurement can be performed with a meter held against an outer wall (where blåbetong is suspected) https://radonmätning.se/blabetong/
Sounds more like it's a torpargrund then? Concrete/stone frame around the house, then standing on a wood concrete slab?A Asli said:
Make sure the inspection includes proper moisture measurement of the sill plates as well as moisture measurement of the slab near load-bearing walls.
Check when the drainage was last done! Extra important with torpargrund/crawl space so you don't get settlements or moisture problems due to poor drainage.
Older drainage lasts about 20 years if done "correctly" (depending on many factors, of course). So that it's not a surprise for you in a potential purchase.
We suspected blåbetong in a house and the only way to find out if it emits radiation is with a gamma meter. The municipalities have them, but ours refused to loan it out. Bought the house with a clause and got a guy from OCAB to measure, no blåbetong and therefore no radiation. It should be noted that the concrete looked exactly like blåbetong.
Do not buy a house without having been down to the foundation. Unless you plan to gut everything anyway and are willing to take the risk.
Do not buy a house without having been down to the foundation. Unless you plan to gut everything anyway and are willing to take the risk.
If it looked like blåbetong, then it was probably blåbetong. However, not all blåbetong contains uranium that emits radon; it depends on where the shale comes from.G goosen said:
Sure, but I'm quoting this because there are many rental companies that completely neglect their tenants. Sure, it's easier to move, etc. The same goes for BRF, and even though it's the association's responsibility, you still share the cost and can end up with much higher fees.BirgitS said:
But in your own house, you can more easily get problems fixed. You get to choose who fixes the different problems, not have someone else decide or vote on the matter!
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In a house, one also chooses WHEN problems should be addressed, what quality level and thus price should apply, and how it should be done so that, for example, children avoid dust during their holidays, etc.
To consider also is that the risks of radon for a non-smoker are very limited. And if you have any type of ventilation driven by an electric fan, it rarely reaches extremely high levels.
This was often a problem in natural ventilation houses during the summer months or in larger apartment buildings.
I would in that case see the foundation as a bigger problem.
This was often a problem in natural ventilation houses during the summer months or in larger apartment buildings.
I would in that case see the foundation as a bigger problem.
To investigate radiation from lightweight concrete, one measures gamma radiation with an instrument.A Asli said:
It is an effective method because you get the results immediately.
As for crawl spaces, I would skip that house directly.
Stickan
Borrow a gamma meter from the municipality.A Asli said:
We conducted a radon inspection in our house to determine the cause of our elevated levels. They brought measuring equipment that assessed the radiation from the building materials as well as the radon concentration in the air at several locations in the basement. We received results immediately along with a quote for recommended actions. Radea carried this out.
Agree!L Liljeros said:
I live in a radon house and installed so-called FTX ventilation, reduced the level from around 1000 Bq to 20-80 Bq (depending on the room). It's a very simple and not super expensive solution to the problem 👍
I would never buy a house where it's not possible to inspect the crawl space. That's really buying a pig in a poke.
When we had won the bidding, we brought in an inspector to perform a short-term radon measurement (didn't know better at the time). The values came out low, around 20 Bq, and the inspector suggested that we could completely dismiss radon as a risk. After a few years, we decided to conduct more comprehensive measurements at the appropriate time. These showed that some rooms in the basement had an average of 300 Bq. We then purchased digital radon meters and started remodeling the mechanical ventilation, which made a big difference since radon gas is extremely volatile. However, we discovered that certain areas, like the woodworking room, had very high values, up to 1000 Bq, due to a leaky well.
After further renovations, we could ascertain that a large portion of the aerated concrete in the basement was actually blue concrete, despite the previous owner assuring us it wasn't. However, according to our digital meters, test pieces from the walls do not emit radon.
Radon, especially ground radon, is tricky to handle because it can vary greatly depending on the time of day and season. Additionally, the difference between neighbors can be significant; one neighbor may have 10 Bq while you yourself have 1000 Bq in your house.
Usually, the municipality keeps track of which areas have a lot of ground radon, but you still need to measure to be sure that the specific house is affected.
It's often said that radon spreads more easily in dusty environments and is particularly dangerous for smokers. But like with much else, it's not black or white. Even non-smokers can suffer from respiratory-related problems if they spend a long time in environments with high radon levels.
In Sweden, the threshold for radon is 200 Bq. If you exceed this value, actions should be taken. In Europe, the threshold is 100 Bq. It's said that Sweden hasn't lowered its threshold for economic reasons.
In our case, we addressed the worst peaks by sealing well covers and improving ventilation. A problem with mechanical exhaust systems is that more ventilation costs more money, especially when it's cold outside. An FTX system would probably have solved this, but the investment is not worth it in our case.
If you are serious about buying the house, I strongly recommend hiring a good inspector yourself and getting everything properly checked. Spontaneously, I would avoid buying a house where you can't access crucial parts like the crawl space.
After further renovations, we could ascertain that a large portion of the aerated concrete in the basement was actually blue concrete, despite the previous owner assuring us it wasn't. However, according to our digital meters, test pieces from the walls do not emit radon.
Radon, especially ground radon, is tricky to handle because it can vary greatly depending on the time of day and season. Additionally, the difference between neighbors can be significant; one neighbor may have 10 Bq while you yourself have 1000 Bq in your house.
Usually, the municipality keeps track of which areas have a lot of ground radon, but you still need to measure to be sure that the specific house is affected.
It's often said that radon spreads more easily in dusty environments and is particularly dangerous for smokers. But like with much else, it's not black or white. Even non-smokers can suffer from respiratory-related problems if they spend a long time in environments with high radon levels.
In Sweden, the threshold for radon is 200 Bq. If you exceed this value, actions should be taken. In Europe, the threshold is 100 Bq. It's said that Sweden hasn't lowered its threshold for economic reasons.
In our case, we addressed the worst peaks by sealing well covers and improving ventilation. A problem with mechanical exhaust systems is that more ventilation costs more money, especially when it's cold outside. An FTX system would probably have solved this, but the investment is not worth it in our case.
If you are serious about buying the house, I strongly recommend hiring a good inspector yourself and getting everything properly checked. Spontaneously, I would avoid buying a house where you can't access crucial parts like the crawl space.