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Safety Of Granite Countertops Questioned

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From: Date:2/24/2017

Safety Of Granite Countertops Questioned

 

For many homeowners, granite is the countertop of choice, but could it pose a health risk?

Debate is simmering around the country about whether granite may emit potentially dangerous radon.

NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that a Texas physicist who tests granite slabssaid there is no question there is a potential for risk. He said some slabs emit much more gamma radiation than what comes naturally from the ground.

'Especially when you have 100 square feet of it or 50 square feet of it in a kitchen,' Rice University physicist William Llope said.

'What we can do is tell you that this countertop is more dangerous than this one,' said granite salesman Al Gebhart.

Some granite salesmen nationwide go so far as to test what they sell.

'My position is that consumers ought to know that up front and let them decide whether to take it or not,' Gebhart said.

They test for radiation as well as radon, a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally but which can cause cancer. Gebhart does his testing in sealed rooms.

The Environmental Protection Agency said a homeowner should take action if radon levels surpass 4 picocuries per liter. One room Gebhart tested showed an 8.1 but experts at the Marble and Granite Institute dispute sealed room testing methods.

'That's totally unrealistic. That has no basis at all. That should not be used. It's bad science,' said John McCarthy of Environmental Health and Engineering.

McCarthy said a typical home kitchen has ventilation. The Harvard-educated scientist was hired by the Marble Institute of America and he tested 115 types of granite.

'We have not seen any data up to this point that would say there's a risk to anyone by having granite in their homes,' McCarthy said.

The only way to know for sure if your granite counters may pose a risk is to test them. For $10 or $15 a radon kit will show you if your home is within EPA guidelines.

The Marble Institute is working to address concerns. They're in the process of coming up with a seal of approval that they hope will assure granite buyers that the stone has been tested and is safe to put in their homes.

 

 

Selecting Kitchen Colors

The kitchen is a room you tend to spend a lot of time in, especially if you are the main chef in your household.  Make sure you are comfortable with your chosen kitchen cabinets color scheme because you are surrounded by it.  Bright, invigorating color schemes can boost energy levels when you have a lot of cooking and cleaning to get through.

Because kitchen walls tend to be dominated by cabinets, countertops and the floor, treat these elements as the starting point for your color scheme.

The colors you chose for your kitchen will depend on the properties and textures of each of the surfaces. Glossy surfaces will reflect more light and look different compared to low sheen, painted walls.  So, it is important to be careful when trying to match colors in different materials.  Sometimes it is better to select a tone lighter or darker rather than trying to create an exact color match.  But, don't overdo color matching.  You could create a monotone look with very little variety.  Varied shades of the same color and complimentary colors will help bring more interest to the setting.  Selecting painted kitchen cabinets may be just the thing to break up the monotony.

Summing it up

Pick colors you are comfortable with.

Bright colors boost energy levels.

Start with cabinets, countertops and floor.

Surface textures affect color matching.

Sometimes it is better to go lighter or darker instead of an exact match.

Varied shades of color and complimentary colors help create interest.

Painted cabinets can break up monotony.  For example: white cabinets.

- See more at: https://www.do-cabinet.com