Property preservation and environmental service specialists ProTen Services have come up with a new product designed to combat moisture and radon gas, two problems associated with basements and rooms that touch the ground.
Aquis Double Defence is based on traditional cavity drain membrane (CDM) systems, which waterproof basements, but which usually have gaps that allow condensation out but let radon in. This system seals basements against both, but without the tens of thousands of pounds which some radon prevention works can cost.
"Radon in basements is notoriously difficult to manage," said Martin Freeman, managing director of ProTen Services. "CDM systems cannot be used on their own to provide effective, durable radon control. Indeed, such an approach may actually make the problem worse."
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can build up inside properties, particularly in basements and spaces with large surface areas touching the ground, through which the gas seeps.
Exposure to high concentrations of the gas may be a major health threat, as Professor Darby et al wrote in 2004 that it could link with lung cancer cases.
