Lead Based Paint, Mold, the Boogey man and NOW: The new scare: Radon in your granite!
Allegations that granite countertops may emit dangerous levels of radon and radiation have been raised periodically over the past decade.
A new study being conducted by Houston area not-for-profit Build Clean is raising old fears about the dangers of granite countertops, and its preliminary results show that while most granite countertops in the study contain very little to no radon at all, the countertops that do contain radon have levels that are frighteningly high. While consumers can be secure in the fact that the vast majority of granite is perfectly safe, a small percentage is still in question, and no independent scientific study exists to assuage consumer fears. Read remainder here
But wait; don’t tear out the counters yet, According to Radon.com: "Recent media attention has focused on granite countertops and whether they can increase your indoor radon levels. While testing your home is always a good idea, a few clarifications are in order.
FACT - Granites often contain trace amounts of material that can produce measurable amounts of radon gas.
However, the key word is "measurable". As an illustration, imagine turning on a burner on your stovetop. The burner emits heat, but has little to no effect on the overall temperature of your house. Similarly, if your countertop emits a small amount of radon, it will generally be insignificant when diluted with the quantity of air in your entire home."
Concerned about Radon? You can have a test, I am a member of AngiesList which surprisingly only lists one referral for radon detection: Plaskoff Construction (818) 888-4130.
A new study being conducted by Houston area not-for-profit Build Clean is raising old fears about the dangers of granite countertops, and its preliminary results show that while most granite countertops in the study contain very little to no radon at all, the countertops that do contain radon have levels that are frighteningly high. While consumers can be secure in the fact that the vast majority of granite is perfectly safe, a small percentage is still in question, and no independent scientific study exists to assuage consumer fears. Read remainder here
But wait; don’t tear out the counters yet, According to Radon.com: "Recent media attention has focused on granite countertops and whether they can increase your indoor radon levels. While testing your home is always a good idea, a few clarifications are in order.
FACT - Granites often contain trace amounts of material that can produce measurable amounts of radon gas.
However, the key word is "measurable". As an illustration, imagine turning on a burner on your stovetop. The burner emits heat, but has little to no effect on the overall temperature of your house. Similarly, if your countertop emits a small amount of radon, it will generally be insignificant when diluted with the quantity of air in your entire home."
Concerned about Radon? You can have a test, I am a member of AngiesList which surprisingly only lists one referral for radon detection: Plaskoff Construction (818) 888-4130.
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