Is Radon Found In Granite

Radon found in granite countertops a friend of mine pointed me to this article in new york times talking about radon emissions from granite countertops.

Is radon found in granite.

Granite is a natural and common source of 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. Granites can contain parts per billion of radium providing for an extremely small amount of. Ok so the risk from granite is minuscule but how common is radon in u s.

The epa says that approximately one of every 15 homes throughout the country whether new or old has elevated radon levels. The ny times article included a story about a new jersey resident who s new york summer home was found to emit high levels of radon traced to the granite countertops. I had no idea that the granite can emit radon and of course the first thing i thought about the granite countertop in my kitchen. Radon is produced naturally by chemical processes originating from local geology.

After years of radon research independent researchers have not found any indication that using granite indoors puts homeowners at risk for increased radon exposure. 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. We have seen no evidence that people who live in homes containing granite countertops receive any abnormal or elevated exposures to radon or radiation says macintosh. Picture courtesy of the national park service website.

There are currently no regulations concerning granite countertops radon gas or radiation emissions. As stated earlier radon is naturally produced by the radioactive decay of the elements uranium and thorium found within the soils and rocks of the earth. That discussed the possibility of granite emitting radon gas into your home. 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. Granite like any other stone may contain veins of naturally occurring radioactive elements like uranium thorium and their radioactive decay products.