Do I Need To Test For Radon In Australia Like The USA?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is present in the environment all over the world. Where these naturally occurring concentrations are higher than average and the gas is concentrated in homes with little ventilation, for example, in cold climates where homes are centrally heated, the concentration of radon can reach levels that constitute a health risk in the form of increased risk of cancer.
In Australia we have two factors that make radon risks very low and testing for radon unnecessary. Firstly naturally occurring radon across all parts of australia is well below average and secondly our homes tend to be well ventilated because of our warm climate.
People do ask us about radon testing form time to time when booking their building and past inspection with us but they are usually satisfied that this is unnecessary in Australia due to the low risk. If you have a particular concern, there are companies that undertake environmental testing in homes including tests for radon but these test can be quite expensive.