Colors Of Granite And Radon

Radon originating in the soil beneath homes is a more common problem and a far larger public health risk than radon from granite building materials.
Colors of granite and radon. The epa says that approximately one of every 15 homes throughout the country whether new or old has elevated radon levels. There are currently no regulations concerning granite countertops radon gas or radiation emissions. Tips from the trade. Yes granite emits radon.
Some granite countertops have been found to give off trace amounts of radon and reporters cited a few kitchens with radon levels as high as 25 times the epa s safety limit of 4 picocuries per liter of. This is perfectly illustrated by the contrast of the vivid veining and coloration of fusion granite by msi versus the simple monochromatic. If the levels of radon in the area containing the granite are higher than your indoor levels in another area of your home and the surface top test devices also return high results then it is possible that the granite is contributing to or is the source of your indoor radon levels. Granite like any other stone may contain veins of naturally occurring radioactive elements like uranium thorium and their radioactive decay products.
The reports were about granite countertops that contain radium which can emit radon a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Houzz the beauty of natural granite lies in its vast array of colors and patterns created from the presence of elements and minerals in the rock. Dozens of studies by scientists and the epa have measured the radon output of hundreds of granite colors and found radon levels to be far far lower than the amount that the epa considers safe. But don t swear off the stone just yet.
Color and uranium content. Granite countertops and radon gas science and technical committee of the american association of radon scientists and technologists aarst august 4 2008 2 pages. Radon that originates in the soil is the main cause of radon problems the epa says. Granites can be black gray pink or red depending on the colors of the constituent minerals.
The health physics society after testing several samples of commercial granite concluded that the radon produced by a typical granite countertop would be about 30 times lower than the level laid out in the epa guidelines. Ok so the risk from granite is minuscule but how common is radon in u s. Claims of unacceptably high radon output have been criticized.