Is Granite Radon Dangerous

Granite countertops source of dangerous radon emissions by lucy campbell radon the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking may be leaking from your countertops if you have granite.

Is granite radon dangerous.

At issue is whether some granite countertops emit dangerous levels of radiation especially the gas radon which is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Can your granite or quartz worktop kill you. In fact in a recent study by consumer reports none of the granite samples tested were found to emit any radon at all. I deal with these half truths and the misinformation about granite and marble every week much of it comes from those companies that compete with the natural stone market.

In this article we are going to try to deal with these questions. Are the levels of radon gas and radiation emissions from granite countertops dangerous to humans or animals. Other building materials may emit radon such as soapstone brick or concrete but as with granite these materials are unlikely to increase radon levels in the home to levels above those already present in nature. Is it true radon from granite countertops can make you sick.

While radon gas and radiation emission levels attributable to granite are not typically high there are simply too many variables to generalize about the potential health risks inside a particular home that has granite countertops. However since the granite is not porous and exposed surfaces are treated with sealant it is harder for the radon escape from the granite than from more porous stones such as sandstone. Granite is very popular as material for buildings and homes especially as kitchen countertops because of their beauty durability and function. So are your granite worktops dangerous.

This is not the only method for measuring the amount of radon coming from the granite but it is the most economical. The us epa recommends taking corrective measures for radon levels at or above 4 pci l the us epa encourages you to consider reducing your radon levels for readings between 2 and 4. This is a colorless gas that comes from decaying uranium. Here are the facts about granite countertops along with the myths and rumors.

While radon gas and radiation emission levels attributable to granite are not typically high there are simply too many variables to generalize about the emissions from granite countertops. On top of that there are a few websites in oddly enough the united states of america which really go to town on the dangers of granite countertops and the radon they produce.