Radon · Portarlington, Co. Laois
Radon in Portarlington: about 1 in 5 homes, a High Radon Area
The EPA predicts about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels at the centre of Portarlington: a High Radon Area. Below: how the band changes across the town, and what to ask the seller.
1 in 5
homes predicted above 200 Bq/m³ at the town centre (EPA)
3/5
of five sample points around the town in a High Radon Area
36%
of Irish towns we sampled sit in a High Radon Area (386 of 1,063)
Radon in Portarlington: what the EPA map predicts
The EPA radon map divides Ireland into grid squares and predicts, from thousands of measurements, the share of homes in each square likely to exceed 200 becquerels per cubic metre. At the centre of Portarlington the prediction is about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. That puts the town centre in a High Radon Area.
We also sampled four points roughly a kilometre north, south, east and west of the centre. 3 of the five are in a High Radon Area, 2 moderate and 0 low: the band changes across the town, so the exact Eircode matters.
Radon is a radioactive gas from uranium in the ground. It is the second cause of lung cancer in Ireland after smoking, about 350 cases a year according to the EPA. It has no smell and the only way to know a house’s level is a three-month test.
What it means when buying here
Treat radon as a line item, not a scare. Ask whether the house was ever tested and for the result. If it was built after 1998 it should have a barrier; ask for the certificate of compliance. If older, budget for a test after moving in and, if the result is high, a sump and fan. None of this stops a purchase. It changes what you ask the seller and what you set aside.
Check one house in Portarlington
The area tells you the odds. The report tells you about the house.
Enter the Eircode. The free snapshot shows which of the twenty-nine checks flag up. The full report (€24.99, one house, no account) reads the EPA radon prediction for the exact Eircode grid square, checks the build year against the 1998 barrier rule, and puts the result beside flood, BER, planning and the other checks.
Or read the sample report first: a real house, 16 pages.
Also for Portarlington
Questions people ask
- Is Portarlington a high radon area?
- Yes. At the centre of Portarlington the EPA map predicts about 1 in 5 homes above the reference level of 200 Bq/m³, which the EPA classes as a High Radon Area. The grid changes within a couple of kilometres, so some parts of the town are lower.
- Does a house in a high radon area need a radon barrier?
- New houses built since 1998 in High Radon Areas must have a radon barrier under Building Regulations (Technical Guidance Document C). Older houses usually have none. Remediation on an existing house costs roughly €1,500 to €3,000 for a sump and fan, less if it is a matter of sealing and ventilation.
- How do I test a house for radon before buying?
- You cannot test before you own it: the EPA test takes three months with detectors in two rooms. What you can do is ask the seller for any past result, check whether a barrier or sump exists, and budget for a €50 to €60 test kit after moving in. The report tells you the EPA prediction for the exact Eircode grid square.
Sources
Area figures, compiled from public records. They describe the town or county, not any one house. The paid report checks the exact Eircode.