Sealing granite isn't a big deal at all. Even if you have to do it every 6 months. It's just spread out a liquid, let it soak in, and then wait a bit and wipe off the excess. Not rocket science.

Only the red granites, and only a very very small percentage of them have ever had any issues with the radon. Most of the hoopla was sponsored by the solid surface industry to give their sales a boost by trash talk. It's BS and was always pretty much BS that all granite is dangerous. It never has been and still isn't.

Get what you love and speaks to you. If you love a red granite, then buy a geiger counter and test it yourself.

"1) quartz doesn't need to be sealed each year,"

Neither does many types of stone, let alone an actual granite.

He is blowing bovine Scatology

"and 2) there are no radon or radiation issues. "

More bovine scatology.

THe bogus radon scare which was underwritten by 2 of the major quartz suppliers is not a reason to pass on granite. In many parts of the country (including here in MN) you already have far more radon in a typical house from the soil surrounding the basement than you could ever get from ANY granite.

Regarding the gloss; the stone industry uses a measurement device called a glossmeter. It essentially measures the depth of the shine. Typical granite numbers are 75 to 80. Quartz tops are 50 to 55 which is understandable given that roughly 30% of the surface is actually resin which doesn't polish. Put a square of any quartz next to a square of a granite the same color (black works best) and the difference in the depth of the shine will be immediately obvious.

My father is a retired engineer and his one of his hobbies has been collecting radioactive things (old fiestaware, antique green glass). Granite is radioactive. He has taken his geiger counter to cemetaries to take reading of the tombstones. What a fun guy. Since I have been shopping for a counter he has found that some pieces of granite have slight radioactivity, some nothing.

He is one of the most risk adverse people I know and he has no problem with me having a granite counter. He would probably tell you how you were getting more radiation flying to Europe on a plane (he was disapproving when I flew to England while pregnant) than from your kitchen.
Get granite if you like it.

Thanks for the info. I guess I don't have enough info yet on the absolute risk relative to other things I'm exposed to.

Is it, for example like being exposed to 2nd hand smoke in a restaurant for 30 minutes a month, or more like chain smoking 4 packs a day. At this point, I have no idea.

I guess I have some more research to do.

Mike

I think you are blowing this out of proportion...all sources I can find on the internet, as well as what everyone has contributed to this thread, indicates there is no threat.

Deleting double post.

This post was edited by shannonplus2 on Mon, Mar 18, 13 at 8:15

Do a google on "aberdeen + granite + radiation". The city of Aberdeen, Scotland is largely built of radioactive granites, so people there have been exposed for many generations to higher doses than your countertop could possibly emit. No problems.

Here is one of many gardenweb threads about radiation and granite.

Don't make yourself crazy about this. I say this as I sit at my granite island.

Here is a link that might be useful: radiation and granite test

This post was edited by debrak_2008 on Mon, Mar 18, 13 at 7:38

Mike,

I don't blame you for being concerned about radon in your home. I would start by getting a simple test with a DIY kit. I would do this either with or without granite countertops because if you are concerned about the risk it is easy to measure. With unseen risks like radon, it's always better to know for sure than to wonder about it.

So, I would start there.

Granite slabs are not tested for radon or radiation, to answer your question #1.

It seems unlikely that the amount of radon in a kitchen countertop would be enough to raise the level in your home significantly. However, one of my former colleagues did radon research and he found a home with a large granite fireplace that did raise the radon level in the house. It was a huge structure though.

You can learn more from the EPA
A nice fact sheet:
http://radiation.supportportal.com/link/portal/23002/23013/Article/20952/What-about-radon-and-radioactivity-in-granite-countertops

Another
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm/granite-countertops.html

When researching stuff like this, it's really important to consider the source of the information. Go straight to the EPA and other credentialed sources. Skip anything from news channels, commercial sites, or internet forums (sorry guys!). It sounds like you have a genuine concern and therefore you need to get your information from the most credible source possible.

This is reminding me to re-test the radon in our house. Not a bad idea for anyone who might be wondering about their risk.

Good luck!

I worried about this, too, when we chose our counter a few years ago. Finally decided the odds of a problem seemed so low that I'd install the counter, do some radon testing (which is a good idea anyway), and deal with it then if we actually had a problem. We have a Pennsylvania granite (some of which do give off some radiation) and our radon levels were super low.

" Go straight to the EPA and other credentialed sources."

The EPA is pretty far from a "credentialed" radiation safety source.
It is outside their purview.

The FDA sets real radiation standards, along with the DOE & OSHA.

There are still some holes though.

The ray back scatter scanners at airports are not medical devices, so FDA has no authority to regulate them.

Though OSHA has a say in how much radiation the operators of the devices may be exposed to.

No one has real enforcement power over what the folks being scanned are exposed to.

They are not workers under OSHA or DOE, and the devices are not medical under FDA.

Flying over the poles and at 35,000+ feet is another source of radiation (cosmic rays and their particle cascades).

Radiation exposure is marginally higher in Denver (or other high altitude cities) than at lower altitudes.

I wouldn't put my desire for granite above my family's safety, but that's just me.

@oldryder said: " Quartz tops ... roughly 30% of the surface is actually resin"

oldryder, I have pointed out twice already (with detailed calculations) that this is a lie. I don't understand why you persist in posting it here.

I live in the Mid-Atlantic. I can tell you for a fact that there is more radiation coming up through my yard that in any slab of granite I could install.

Thanks everyone, and @karin_mt .

I live on the 8th floor of a high rise condo in philadelphia. The building is under negative pressure which means it sucks lots of outside air in, and I often open my balcony doors when cooking. Therefore, I guess radon would be less of an issue. I suppose radiation (if any) would still be a concern.

On balance, after reading through this thread, I'm still conflicted.

I'm leaning more towards agreeing with @oceangirl67 when she said: " I wouldn't put my desire for granite above my family's safety, but that's just me."

Mike

HI Mike,

Oh, in a high rise, I think you will be perfectly fine, no worries whatsoever.

Oceangirl only seems to post on GW in order to pull on people's braids. Having a granite countertop in no way actually jeopardizes anyone's safety. That's just silly.

But, if the granite/radon issue is going to gnaw away at you, then maybe it's not for you. Opting for quartz is not exactly a hardship either. Either way you need to be comfortable and happy with your choice.

Please disregard anything oceangirl posts. Only meant to start debates.

Ditto what karin mt said. Really not an issue but if it bothers you don't do it.

I see you have a microwave. Some (not me) would say that is more of a health concern. Lots of kitchen related stuff can be debated as far as health concerns, such as use of plastics, pesticides in food, etc. We all have to find a lifestyle that makes sense to us.

For you I would say get granite. You have no known radon issues in your building. Sounds like you have lots of air low. Your kitchen is not that big. Looks like you are not leaning toward red granite(which may or may not be an issue). Again do what makes YOU comfortable. There is no right or wrong answer.

cavemanmike - I suggest you do NOT get granite. If you are this worried about it then you should look for something you feel safer with. Of course almost everything has its drawbacks so you'll need to make sure there aren't any minuscule potential health risks you are overlooking with them either.

Oceangirl finally hit pay dirt! Lol. A ridiculous statement which has someone listening to it. Nice work - he might have loved granite, but now won't get it because of some ludicrous statement. Nice job.

I think it's safe to do the exact opposite of whatever Oceangirl proclaims.

I agree that if you're this worried and reading amounts of radiation found in different types of granite (and comparing it to ambient radiation) doesn't reassure you, then you should get something else. (Have you actually looked up radiation levels? It's easily available via google.) I went through a similar worry, but after researching it, I decided it was ridiculous. We ended up with marble, but that choice was made for aesthetic reasons, not for worries about radiation.

I personally would be more worried about the resins used to cement together the quartz counters!

And Oceangirl should read Sanctimommy. They have a lot in common, except that Sanctimommy is satire, and oceangirl doesn't seem to have a sense of humor about her own judgments!

Actually, the quartz industry calculates the percentages of resin/quartz by weight, not volume. So, which do you think weighs more, a cup of quartz crystals, or a cup of poylmer resin? As much as I love quartz products, their spiel is marketing BS. In truth, there is just about as much resin as quartz in the average quartz countertop. As such, it has a lot more in common with Corian type materials in many ways than it does with granite.

WCLindy, oh I think Oceangirl knows exactly what she's doing. Too bad she's missing the humor component.

LWO, interesting about the amount of resin in quartz counters. I always thought there was a LOT more quartz in the mix. Still, quartz feels like granite to me, cold and hard.