Are Granite Countertops In Your Charlotte Home Causing High Radon Levels?

All granite countertops produce some levels of radiation. Some granite countertops produce negligible levels of radiation, while others have unbelievably high radiation levels. The only real way you will know for certain if your granite countertops are dangerous or not is to have a Radon inspection conducted on all your home’s granite countertops and fixtures.

What are the dangers?
Granite countertops and all granite products for that matter, are by law supposed to be screened by experts for acceptable levels of radiation even before they are approved for commercial and private use. The maximum acceptable reading is 4.0 picoCuries per liter of air, which has a cancer threat equivalent to half a pack of cigarettes a day. Any readings that exceed the 4.0 pCi/L mark are considered a significant health threat.

However, there are some lower-quality granite countertops that manage to slip through these inspections. Radon experts then become essential to securing your home’s safety, especially if you do not know when and where you got those granite countertops in your home.

When should I have my home inspected?
A granite countertop’s radiation levels barely change over time, so a single reading is enough to check whether it is safe for people to work around or not.

This means that you should have your granite countertops inspected at least once, and make sure that whoever is doing the Radon inspection has no vested interests in the company that sold you the granite countertops in the first place. The construction company who sells you the granite countertops would never admit their products emit poisonous radiation, and this is exactly why you need an impartial third party to objectively evaluate the conditions of your granite countertops.

A quick pointer to keep in mind during construction
Be especially wary when the granite countertops are being installed during construction. Granite comes from all over the world, and those that are cheap and inexpensive usually do not pass through the strict Radon inspection requirements that safeguard the individuals hanging around them.

Another red flag for high radiation levels are granite countertops that come in shades of red. Pink, purple, crimson and other varying red countertops have been known to have higher than average levels of Radon, and could prove to be so if not tested properly by a professional in Radon inspection.

How can I have my countertops inspected?

The most common and convenient provide DIY Radon testing kits which are readily available in hardware stores. But there are a few services in Charlotte that specialize in Radon detection, and hiring professionals is the smarter choice as their natural expertise in the field of radon will help you find ways to deal with higher than average levels of Radon.

If your radon levels are high, there are measures like increased air circulation that can help lessen the effects of Radon. You can then keep your granite countertops while assuring the security of you and your family.

For more information please go to: http://homeinspectioncarolina.com/

Bill Gallagher, One of North Carolina’s best known Real Estate Instructors talks about Radon Gas in The Mandatory Update class in Charlotte NC in September. Bill Gallagher Owns Supeior School of Real Estate in Charlotte but conducts Real Estate classes throughout the state. Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina is filming him. Radon:

Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims about 20,000 lives annually.

EPA Recommends:

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