Lead Testing Is An Important Step In Making Your Home Safer For Your Small Children

Environmental Blog

If your home was built when lead paint was commonly used, you may want your home tested for the presence of lead. If you have young children or you're starting a family, it's important to know whether lead is a danger in your home. Covering up lead paint with layers of non-lead paint is not a solution that prevents lead exposure.

Your walls may have several layers of paint, but if lead paint is hidden on the bottom, lead dust can still contaminate your home. Plus, older plumbing may be made of lead and contaminate your water supply. Call a lead testing service to collect samples and run tests to find out whether lead is a problem in your home so you can take steps to protect your children if necessary. Here's how lead testing is done.

Areas That Are Often Tested For Lead

The areas in your home most susceptible to lead contamination are the walls and the soil around the foundation of your home. Even though lead paint may be on the walls, the dust from the paint can seep throughout your home and contaminate other surfaces.

The lead testing service may take samples from window sills and other places in your home as well as take samples from paint chips. In addition, they may collect water samples from your plumbing to look for the presence of lead.

Lead Testing Can Provide Instant Results

Some lead testing provides instant results. The testing technician may swab a window and then watch for the swab to turn red if lead is present in the dust. This test lets you know instantly if lead is present on the surface tested, but it won't show how much and whether the lead has spread through the air.

Lab Tests Are The Most Accurate

A lead testing service can collect samples and send them to a lab for testing. This provides the most accurate results and supplies you with the most information about how contaminated your home is with lead. Lead testing is especially important before you begin remodeling your home. If you plan to take out a wall or scrape off old paint to remodel a nursery, you want to make sure you don't disturb lead dust and send it in the air where it can spread and become even more hazardous.

Once the lead testing service delivers the results of your test, you'll know how you need to proceed with preparing your home for children. You may need a lead abatement company to come in and make your home safe.

For more information, contact a company like LEW Corporation.

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