Which Granite Emits The Most Radon

To reduce the radon risk you should first test the air in your home to determine the radon level.

Which granite emits the most radon.

If your stone surface emits a small amount of radon as happens in most cases it will generally be insignificant when diluted with the quantity of air in your entire home. So do other items in our households. Moreover kitchens bathrooms. Radon released from granite building materials can be released over the lifetime of use but typically will be diluted by ventilation.

The question is whether they do so at levels that can impact cancer risk. In addition to radon naturally occurring radioactive elements in the granite can emit small amounts of beta and gamma radiation. There are many do it yourself radon test kits available through retail outlets and on line starting at about 25. It isn t a surprise that granite emits radiation.

In fact in a recent study by consumer reports none of the granite samples tested were found to emit any radon at all. You are hundreds of times more likely to be at risk for radon emanating from the soil beneath your home. The amount of radiation emitted from granite can vary. However any radiation present would decrease quickly with increasing distance.

The amount of radon in the air is measured in picocuries per liter of air. Radon can be a carcinogen and is therefore a health concern especially in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. The reports were about granite countertops that contain radium which can emit radon a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Because granite isn t very porous and large quantities of it aren t typically used in most single family homes the radon isn t likely to escape in a significant enough quantity to potentially cause problems says brian hanson a specialist with the national radon program services at kansas state university.

Granites that emit the most radon are the ones that contain the most uranium. One eighth the average radon gas concentration in u s. While natural rocks such as granite may emit radiation and radon gas the levels attributable to such sources are not typically high. Experts agree that most granite countertops emit some radon and even other types of radiation.

All types of granite contain various amounts of uranium an element that produces radon gas. 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.