Lead Testing

Lead is a heavy metal that was commonly used in paint and as a gasoline additive for most of the last century. While it increased the durability of paint and helped reduce auto emissions, it also proved to be a serious health hazard and was banned from most uses in 1978. Since then, both government and industry have worked hard to reduce lead exposure in all its forms, and the instances of persons with elevated lead levels in their blood has plummeted. Lead poisoning is still a problem, however, and old lead paint is one of the primary sources of contamination.

Does Your House Have Lead Based Paint?
It's impossible to tell for sure whether your home has leaded paint without performing lead testing. However, just knowing the age of your home should give you an idea of whether you're at risk. Few homes built after 1978 have any lead paint on the premises, so if you're living a newer house you're probably in the clear. If your home was built prior to 1978, however, there's a pretty good chance that there's paint with lead in it somewhere in your home. If that's the case for you, it's a good idea to hire a contractor to come perform lead testing so you know exactly what you're dealing with and how at risk you really are.

Lead Based Paint and Health Concerns
Just because you have lead paint in your home doesn't necessarily mean you've got a problem yet. If your paint is in good shape it shouldn't present too much of a health risk, as long as you leave it alone. If it's cracking, peeling, or chipping, however, you should take steps to remove or repair it as soon as possible. Elevated levels of lead can cause a wide range of health problems, including concentration problems, seizures, nervous system disorders, muscle and joint pain, and problems during pregnancy. Children are more at risk than adults, since their growing bodies absorb lead more readily, and since they are more likely to put lead contaminated items (including their hands) into their mouths. In addition to the aforementioned health problems, lead can also cause behavioral and learning disorders, slowed growth, hearing loss, and headaches in children.

Lead Removal
If you do have lead based paint in your home, and you want to get rid of it, you're going to need to hire a lead abatement contractor to come in and do the work for you. NEVER try to remove lead based paint on your own, and NEVER perform any sanding or demolition work where lead based paint is present. Doing so transforms the paint into a dust that settles throughout your home. Once this happens, the health risk to you and your family increases exponentially.

On the other hand, a state certified lead abatement contractor has all the necessary equipment to remove the paint completely and safely from your residence, so you'll never have to worry about lead contamination again.

If you're concerned about sources of lead contamination in your home, start by having lead testing performed. Once lead testing has identified the sources of lead in your residence, you'll be better prepared to take the necessary measures to eliminate the problem.