Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

Just wanted to check people's opinions and experiences.... thanks!

On Sep 12, 1:15*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:
Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. *They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. *The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

Just wanted to check people's opinions and experiences.... *thanks!

I'm a physicist. ANY amount of ionizing radiation poses a cumulative
threat to human cell chromosomes.The is no minimum. When you are
subject to x-ray or cat scan your body absorbs some "microcuries" of
radiation but exposure only lasts short while. Story changes with
presence of gamma ray emanating stones in your kitchen, where you stay
most of the time while at home. Even minuscule radiation intensity
will cumulate over time to seriously threaten your health/life. I
would NEVER install granite countertops in my kitchen or baths. Marble
makes a big difference. That natural material does not emit harmful
gamma rays but it's also more expensive, than ordinary granite. My
kitchen countertops are corian and my main bath has marble.
Cheers

wrote:
....

I'm a physicist. ANY amount of ionizing radiation poses a cumulative
threat to human cell chromosomes.The is no minimum. When you are
subject to x-ray or cat scan your body absorbs some "microcuries" of
radiation but exposure only lasts short while. Story changes with
presence of gamma ray emanating stones in your kitchen, where you stay
most of the time while at home. Even minuscule radiation intensity
will cumulate over time to seriously threaten your health/life. ...

Guess you'd best wear lead and certainly _never_ even consider a
transcontinental air flight...

Geez!

(ps. I'm a NucE/Physicist fwtw which w/ the appropriate amount of loose
change gets me a cup of coffee most places...)

--

On Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:02:47 -0500, dpb wrote:
wrote:
...

I'm a physicist. ANY amount of ionizing radiation poses a cumulative
threat to human cell chromosomes.The is no minimum. When you are
subject to x-ray or cat scan your body absorbs some "microcuries" of
radiation but exposure only lasts short while. Story changes with
presence of gamma ray emanating stones in your kitchen, where you stay
most of the time while at home. Even minuscule radiation intensity
will cumulate over time to seriously threaten your health/life. ...

Guess you'd best wear lead and certainly _never_ even consider a
transcontinental air flight...

Geez!

And better stay in a bunker, perferably at least several light years
from the nearest star.

On Sep 12, 1:15*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:
Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. *They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. *The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

Just wanted to check people's opinions and experiences.... *thanks!

It could be hot. It could be not. Reading all day will not tell you
anything, unless you are reading at the counter and your hair all
falls out. The only way to tell if YOUR counter tops is okay (and
that's the only one you really care about) is to have it tested.

On Sep 12, 2:31*pm, Pat wrote:
On Sep 12, 1:15*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:





Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. *They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. *The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

Just wanted to check people's opinions and experiences.... *thanks!

It could be hot. *It could be not. *Reading all day will not tell you
anything, unless you are reading at the counter and your hair all
falls out. *The only way to tell if YOUR counter tops is okay (and
that's the only one you really care about) is to have it tested.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Depending on who you believe...The FDA just released a study/report
this summer that basically says; granite poses no health risks. The
amounts of granite are too small.

The only way to tell if YOUR counter tops is okay (and that's the only one you really care about) is to have it tested.-

Can you have graniite slabs tested before they're installed? And do
you need to test the whole slab? To do our color matching we have a
small piece (and 4-square inches) that they broke off one corner for
us to take to use for matching tile. Could we have that tested? Most
small test kits we've seen require a sample "pouch" to be in the area
for several days. Then sent to a lab, then the results sent back.
The problem is these slabs are stored outside. No way to segregate
one particular slab.

How can you do this????

Depending on who you believe...The FDA just released a study/report this summer that basically says; granite poses no health risks. The amounts of granite are too small.

I think you meant the EPA and not the FDA and this is a link to the
FAQ for it. Still not very clear :

http://radiation.custhelp.com/cgi-bi...&p_topvie w=1

"infiniteMPG" wrote in message
...
Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

Just wanted to check people's opinions and experiences.... thank

You should not go anywhere near granite. I had my mothers headstone made
out of corian so her visitors would stay healthy.
Too much exposure has also been know to cause paranoia. Ray Davies has
claimed that "paranoia is the destroyaaaa".

Have a nice day.

On Sep 12, 3:17*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:
Depending on who you believe...The FDA just released a study/report this summer that basically says; granite poses no health risks. The amounts of granite are too small.

I think you meant the EPA and not the FDA and this is a link to the
FAQ for it. *Still not very clear :

http://radiation.custhelp.com/cgi-bi.../enduser/std_a...

In my experience, government agencies bend over backward to give the
sternest warnings and set exposure levels far below where other
toxicologists would. If they can see no problem, there is no problem.

The world is full of granite. Possibly some does emanate radon gas others
may not, but how much gas could a 5/8" thick sheet of granite hold,
especially after sitting around in yards, shipped half way around the world
and then installed in a kitchen. I am sure that many other mineral building
products are similar or worse, such as concrete made with granite aggregates
and other products mined from underground.

I am not a scientist but logic tells me there is nothing to fear any more
than most other things in this world.


"infiniteMPG" wrote in message
...
Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

Just wanted to check people's opinions and experiences.... thanks!

EXT wrote:
The world is full of granite. Possibly some does emanate radon gas
others may not, but how much gas could a 5/8" thick sheet of granite
hold, especially after sitting around in yards, shipped half way
around the world and then installed in a kitchen. I am sure that many
other mineral building products are similar or worse, such as
concrete made with granite aggregates and other products mined from
underground.
I am not a scientist but logic tells me there is nothing to fear any
more than most other things in this world.


A slab of granite does not "contain" Radon.

Radon is "created" by the granite, specifically Radon is a by-product of the
radioactive decay of Radium.

On Sep 12, 8:20�pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
EXT wrote:
The world is full of granite. Possibly some does emanate radon gas
others may not, but how much gas could a 5/8" thick sheet of granite
hold, especially after sitting around in yards, shipped half way
around the world and then installed in a kitchen. I am sure that many
other mineral building products are similar or worse, such as
concrete made with granite aggregates and other products mined from
underground.
I am not a scientist but logic tells me there is nothing to fear any
more than most other things in this world.

A slab of granite does not "contain" Radon.

Radon is "created" by the granite, specifically Radon is a by-product of the
radioactive decay of Radium.

granite countertop is pretty small, and in generally well ventilated
area. i doubt it cpould be a hazard...........

homes with radon sit on a radon foundation

On Sep 12, 3:02*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:
The only way to tell if YOUR counter tops is okay (and that's the only one you really care about) is to have it tested.-

Can you have graniite slabs tested before they're installed? *And do
you need to test the whole slab? *To do our color matching we have a
small piece (and 4-square inches) that they broke off one corner for
us to take to use for matching tile. *Could we have that tested? *Most
small test kits we've seen require a sample "pouch" to be in the area
for several days. *Then sent to a lab, then the results sent back.
The problem is these slabs are stored outside. *No way to segregate
one particular slab.

How can you do this????

I was thinking that you already had it installed. If that was the
case, I'd just set a radon test thing on it for a month (which is
what's required for an air sample). Otherwise, I think you should
contact your state health department for advise.

Since you are in New York (wink, wink), you can find info at:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/enviro...adon/radon.htm

There's an 800 number here that might be able to provide info to you
(since you are in New York)
http://www.health.state.ny.us/publications/3168.pdf

Start here. Then check your state for info.

On Sep 12, 1:15*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:
Been hearing rumblings of radon gas emisions from granite countertops
and wanted to see what other people have experienced as it appears the
manufactured counter top folks profess it's a great hazard and the
granite people say it's nothing to be bothered with.

I have read a ton of stuff and still don't see it one or the other.
One of the confusing things is that they state radon gas is a
natuarlly occurring gas that happens when soil decays. *They say it
can enter your home thru cracks or openings in your home's
foundation. *The reason I question this with countertops is if the
"gas" needs a passageway to get from the soil into your home, how does
it get out of the countertop and into the air in your kitchen if the
countertop is completely sealed against bacteria with a non-pourous
coating???

How big is an atom of radon? How big is a bacterium?

Cindy Hamilton

In article ,
Frank wrote:
On Sep 12, 3:17*pm, infiniteMPG wrote:
Depending on who you believe...The FDA just released a study/report this summer that basically says; granite poses no health risks. The amounts
of granite are too small.

I think you meant the EPA and not the FDA and this is a link to the
FAQ for it. *Still not very clear :

http://radiation.custhelp.com/cgi-bi.../enduser/std_a...

In my experience, government agencies bend over backward to give the
sternest warnings and set exposure levels far below where other
toxicologists would. If they can see no problem, there is no problem.

Except for the "political-contribution effect". :-(


David

On Sep 12, 5:49*pm, "EXT" wrote:
The world is full of granite. Possibly some does emanate radon gas others
may not, but how much gas could a 5/8" thick sheet of granite hold,
especially after sitting around in yards, shipped half way around the world
and then installed in a kitchen. I am sure that many other mineral building
products are similar or worse, such as concrete made with granite aggregates
and other products mined from underground.

I am not a scientist but logic tells me there is nothing to fear any more
than most other things in this world.

Having just done a lot of personal research on this issue, from what
I've read the issue isn't as much what emits or generates radon, as
that radon gas gets contained in an enclosed area where it can build
up.

Radon has always been around, but older homes ventilated better than
modern ones do (energy efficiency seems to equal air-tight) so it
wasn't an issue until the last 20 or so years as these more air-sealed
homes don't ventilate all gasses quite as easily.

Which makes me wonder if there is some sort of measurable up-tick in
other gasses in modern homes that might correlate to health
issues...maybe higher concentrations of CO2, etc., that might be the
reason more people have migraines today than did 50 years ago.

Just my 2 cents'

On Oct 13, 3:46*pm, Kyle wrote:
On Sep 12, 5:49*pm, "EXT" wrote:

The world is full of granite. Possibly some does emanate radon gas others
may not, but how much gas could a 5/8" thick sheet of granite hold,
especially after sitting around in yards, shipped half way around the world
and then installed in a kitchen. I am sure that many other mineral building
products are similar or worse, such as concrete made with granite aggregates
and other products mined from underground.

I am not a scientist but logic tells me there is nothing to fear any more
than most other things in this world.

Having just done a lot of personal research on this issue, from what
I've read the issue isn't as much what emits or generates radon, as
that radon gas gets contained in an enclosed area where it can build
up.

Radon has always been around, but older homes ventilated better than
modern ones do (energy efficiency seems to equal air-tight) so it
wasn't an issue until the last 20 or so years as these more air-sealed
homes don't ventilate all gasses quite as easily.

Which makes me wonder if there is some sort of measurable up-tick in
other gasses in modern homes that might correlate to health
issues...maybe higher concentrations of CO2, etc., that might be the
reason more people have migraines today than did 50 years ago.

Just my 2 cents'

To get an idea of the radon emited, the only real way is to test for a
long time period
in the room with the radon, and in another remote room on the same
level and compare.
You can't sit the canister on the counter top, and you don't sit the
canister
on the basement floor either.

By the way, I measured my new old house shortly after I moved in. It
was OK about 2.7. I got around to measuring it last spring and it
was high, around 6, but shortly started falling as the summer
approached.
It was 2.3-2.5 all summer, but in sep started rising and was getting
up to about 20.
I installed temporary suction fan and since last fri is falling, from
18 to today about 8.
What I learned is, you cannot rely at all on one measurement. Oct to
Nov SEEM to
be the worst months of the year from data I have looked at, but data
is hard
to find on monthly average levels. You need to test radon NOW.

greg

On Nov 5, 11:17*am, zek wrote:
On Oct 13, 3:46*pm, Kyle wrote:



On Sep 12, 5:49*pm, "EXT" wrote:

The world is full of granite. Possibly some does emanateradongas others
may not, but how much gas could a 5/8" thick sheet of granite hold,
especially after sitting around in yards, shipped half way around the world
and then installed in a kitchen. I am sure that many other mineral building
products are similar or worse, such as concrete made with granite aggregates
and other products mined from underground.

I am not a scientist but logic tells me there is nothing to fear any more
than most other things in this world.

Having just done a lot of personal research on this issue, from what
I've read the issue isn't as much what emits or generatesradon, as
thatradongas gets contained in an enclosed area where it can build
up.

Radonhas always been around, but older homes ventilated better than
modern ones do (energy efficiency seems to equal air-tight) so it
wasn't an issue until the last 20 or so years as these more air-sealed
homes don't ventilate all gasses quite as easily.

Which makes me wonder if there is some sort of measurable up-tick in
other gasses in modern homes that might correlate to health
issues...maybe higher concentrations of CO2, etc., that might be the
reason more people have migraines today than did 50 years ago.

Just my 2 cents'

To get an idea of theradonemited, the only real way is to test for a
long time period
in the room with theradon, and in another remote room on the same
level and compare.
You can't sit the canister on the counter top, and you don't sit the
canister
on the basement floor either.

By the way, I measured my new old house shortly after I moved in. It
was OK about 2.7. I got around to measuring it last spring and it
was high, around 6, but shortly started falling as the summer
approached.
It was 2.3-2.5 all summer, but in sep started rising and was getting
up to about 20.
I installed temporary suction fan and since last fri is falling, from
18 to today about 8.
What I learned is, you cannot rely at all on one measurement. Oct to
Nov SEEM to
be the worst months of the year from data I have looked at, but data
is hard
to find on monthly average levels. You need to testradonNOW.

greg

I have learned much after investigating radon. There is much
misinformation.
An upstairs open window can actually increase radon levels from
suction, especially
if the window is on the side pointing to wind flow. Radon levels will
be similar
throughout the house, and very much depends on ventilation, weather,
seasons,
rain, and snow, ice, etc,etc, Sealing cracks in the basement helps,
but not a whole lot.
A furnace/air plastic filter like 3M Filtrite, picks up radon and it
products and will
becomes highly radioactive, as well as furnace and air filter carbon
filters.It decays,
but be careful disposing. I don't know the time intervals, but radon
decays to half life
in four days, becomes three other products breaking
down finally to LEAD. Those other radioactive elements are also a
hazard.

Radon fans come in different suction capabilities. Depending on the
location, the fan,
or fans need to be sized, and there may require more than one suction
point. Some fans can also
be controlled by variable speed controls, also controlling cost to
run. They also do not have to run all year
if levels are measured. I got a reading on the Geiger counter up to 10
times the ambient noise shortly
after installing the 3M. The house reading did not go down
significantly.
Venting the house tends to reduce the radon, but radon and its
products can not
easily be removed from even using a high speed fan for one hour
creating positive pressure
in the house. My whole house attic fan produces negative pressure, and
its use can be problimatic
with radon. It would seem radon and its products stick around and are
hard to get rid of,
and need to be let alone to decay after a few days, or a couple weeks
if no additional inflow
exists.

Hope this helps


greg