Radon Gas In Granite Homes

Radon exists naturally in the ground and there are five common causes of radon in your home.

Radon gas in granite homes.

In a small number of homes the building materials e g granite and certain concrete products can give off radon although building materials rarely cause radon problems by themselves. Radon that originates in the soil is the main cause of radon problems the epa says. If your home has a radon level of 4 picocuries per liter pci l of air or more you should take steps to fix your home and reduce the radon level. Radon is naturally in the atmosphere in trace amounts.

Radon is a radioactive gas you can t see feel taste or smell. The reports were about granite countertops that contain radium which can emit radon a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Most radon exposure occurs inside homes schools and workplaces. Outdoors radon disperses rapidly and generally is not a health issue.

This is where we get most of our radon exposure. The radon source you should be most wary of is the soil beneath your home. Ok so the risk from granite is minuscule but how common is radon in u s. Radon gas can damage cells in your lungs which can lead to cancer radon is responsible for about 21 000 lung cancer deaths each year in the united states though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to.

Radon gas is created when certain rocks begin to decompose and erode. The epa says that approximately one of every 15 homes throughout the country whether new or old has elevated radon levels. When uranium decays it turns into. While natural rocks such as granite may emit radiation and radon gas the levels attributable to such sources are not typically high.

Older homes are often built on a foundation made out of natural stones like granite limestone and other quarry rocks. One such stone that has trace amounts of uranium is granite. It starts out as uranium a heavy metal found in the ground and most rocks on the planet. Any of these sources can release the deadly gas into your home where it is trapped and can build to dangerous levels.

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. Because of the way we heat and ventilate our homes some radon gets indoors through the floor. These stones are formed together using concrete or other materials. Causes of radon in your home.

Radon gas is inert colorless and odorless.