Should You Test for Lead Paint Before Buying an Old House?

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Many older homes have a charm and beauty that is no longer present in modern construction. Unfortunately, many houses that were constructed before 1978 may also have traces of lead-based paint.

For many decades, lead was put into common house paint to provide strength and durability. The harmful effects that lead has on the mental and physical health of both children and adults were not fully understood until it was finally banned in 1978. 

This means that while homes built after 1978 are most likely free of any lead-based paint, it is possible that homes built before that year still have lead-based paint inside. 

Why Lead-Based Paint is Dangerous?

Although the ingestion of lead is quite harmful to adults, it has a devastating effect on children. Particularly those who are 6 years old or younger as it inhibits their mental and physical development. 

Signs of lead poisoning include milder symptoms such as sluggishness, fatigue, abdominal pain, and constipation. While more serious symptoms include delays in development, learning difficulties, seizures, and unexplained weight loss combined with a loss of appetite. 

While the devastating effects of lead were partially understood many decades ago, it was not until 1960 that New York banned its use for residential properties. It still took another 18 years before it was banned across the US. 

Should You Test for Lead-Based Paint Before Buying an Older Home?

The answer is yes! You should always test for lead-based paint in homes built before 1978. Keep in mind that even if you have signed a contract, the seller is responsible for scheduling and paying for an inspection of the home.

While the use of lead paint has long since ended, it is still possible that testing performed several years ago may not have fully discovered all the lead-based paint that is present. This is because older paints may still be underneath newer layers of paint. Even while lead-based paint is under newer paint, it still presents a potential danger. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you are considering buying a home that was built before 1978, you should call the professionals at Brickley Environmental. Our experts have the knowledge, experience, and tools to detect lead in houses even if it is under previous layers. Over the years, Brickley Environmental has worked with businesses and homeowners to detect and remove contaminants from properties. 

Call Brickley Environmental today and find out more about how we can detect and remove it from your residence, business, or structure. Our friendly, professional staff will explain our services, answer your questions, and provide a thorough inspection of your home to ensure that if any lead is present, it will be detected and removed safely and efficiently. 

For more information on testing lead-based paint, click here to visit the EPA website.

 

Lead Poisoning

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Lead is a toxic metal that has been in widespread use for thousands of years. The extent to which lead has been used has resulted in considerable environmental contamination and poisoning.

Lead is a soft, durable metal that is highly versatile. Today, it is most commonly found in lead-acid batteries used to run the electrical systems of vehicles. But you can also find lead in a wide variety of products such as the following. 

  • Leaded Paint & Aviation Fuel
  • Ammunition, Jewelry, and Crystal Glassware
  • Ceramic Glazes, Toys, Cosmetics, & Traditional Medicines 

Unfortunately, two of the most common sources of lead contamination are older paint and pipes in the home. Drinking water may contain lead that has slowly seeped into the water supply. The damage lead contamination can cause is considerable. 

The Effects of Lead

The toxic effects of lead are pronounced in adults, but even far worse in children. Lead poisoning negatively affects the growth and development of the brain and nervous system. In adults, exposure to lead increases the risk of high blood pressure and damage to the kidneys. The unborn are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning when pregnant women are exposed.

Once lead enters the body, it can seep into the brain, bones, kidneys, liver, and all other areas of the body. Because it does not exit the body, the lead can build up over time to become a dangerous threat to your health. A woman with lead in her bones presents a danger to her unborn child because it may seep into the fetus. 

Common Areas That Cause Lead Poisoning

Lead exposure can happen in two basic ways; inhalation or ingestion. Lead particles can be inhaled when materials that contain lead are burned. This includes recycling, smelting, stripping away old lead paint, and being in close proximity to aviation fuel. 

Ingestion of lead normally occurs when water or dust from old water pipes is consumed. Another method is from food that has been stored in lead containers. Another possible form of ingestion occurs when a high amount of traditional medicines or cosmetics containing lead have been used. 

There is no amount of acceptable lead exposure. This is because lead stays within the body and can build up over years even if the exposure itself seems only slight. With the cumulative effects of lead exposure being so harmful, it pays to have any lead in your structure identified and removed as quickly as possible. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you suspect your home, office, or facility has lead call the professionals at Brickley Environmental today. They have the knowledge, experience, and training to identify and remove lead contamination from your structure in a safe, effective manner.  

Lead was commonly used in the construction and painting of homes and buildings until the mid-1970s. If you are living or working in an older residence or commercial building, it’s possible that lead may exist. By calling Brickley Environmental today, you can schedule an inspection and find out if there is lead present. 

For more information on lead, click here to visit the CDC website.

Lead Hazard

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If you live in a home that was originally painted with lead paint, some of the lead may still be around underneath layers of new paint. When exposed, it may cause lead-poisoning issues that mostly affect children but can affect adults as well. 

Where to Look for Lead

Most lead paint was used in the following areas. 

  • Bathrooms, Kitchens, and Floors
  • Baseboards, Stairs, and Windows
  • Porches, Exteriors, Woodwork and Trim 

Such areas are often painted over numerous times over the years, so the paint may still be trapped under the surface. However, if the area is subject to impacts, friction, or deterioration, then the underlying paint may be exposed. 

How to Maintain the Condition of Your Paint

If you suspect that lead paint is present in your home, then you can create a strong barrier to help ensure that it never gets exposed to the surface. A good place to start is by keeping the layers of protection over old paint by touching up from time to time areas that may be deteriorating. 

Baseboards: You can fully remove the baseboards and replace with new ones. Also, you can cover the baseboards with contact paper, duct tape, or paint over them again. 

Doors: Use felt bumpers on the edges of the doors. Or, you can use duct tape to cover the edges which are at most risk of exposure. If you suspect that lead paint may be underneath, consider removing the door entirely and replacing with a new one. 

Floors & Stairs: Rugs and carpet can reduce, if not eliminate the friction caused by foot traffic. Adding a runner to the stairs can also reduce the possibility of creating lead dust. 

Windows: Use contact paper to cover window trims and surfaces that may have contaminated paint. You can also use duct tape as well. Try to minimize the opening and closing of windows as much as possible to reduce impact. 

This means identifying areas subject to moisture which may cause the paint to fall apart. And, do not remove any paint which might create dust which contains lead. 

You will need a professional removal service to eliminate the product from your home. That is where Brickley Environmental can be of service. 

Let Brickley Environmental Help

You can get peace of mind when calling the professionals at Brickley Environmental. If you believe that lead may be present on your property or if it is coming in from another area, Brickley Environmental can find out thanks to their expert services. 

For more information on lead poisoning, visit the CDC’s website here.

Another article about the dangers of lead from BrickleyEnv can be found here.

paint over the danger of lead

Paint Over the Danger of Lead

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painting lead
Paint Over the Danger of Lead

Lead was present in paint prior to 1978. It provided strength and durability, but it also created a serious health risk to those living inside the home, particularly children. Lead has not been included in paint for over four decades. There are still thousands of homes that have lead paint inside. 

The lead paint may be under layers of newer paint that keep the exposure to a minimum. Renovation projects may uncover the paint and cause the lead to enter the atmosphere. Studies have shown that upwards of 30% of lead poisoning cases in children were caused when the old lead paint was exposed due to renovation. This means that testing for lead becomes paramount before any work is done on the property. 

Not Testing for the Presence of Lead

Many government officials including health, building, and fire safety inspectors have little to no training when it comes to lead poisoning despite the health risks. This is partly due to the slow, long-term effects of lead that often go unnoticed for months, if not years. Children who are most vulnerable may not show signs of lead poisoning until considerable damage has been done to their brain and nervous systems. 

The lack of action may be due in large part to not wanting to believe that lead is present. The presence of lead may go undetected for many years. Testing is relatively inexpensive, but the removal of the lead may cost a considerable amount. 

Test for Lead Paint

If your home, office, or facility was built before 1978, there is a good possibility that it has lead paint present. You should test for the presence of lead paint. Even if you are not planning a renovation, you may want to test for the presence of lead just in case. 

If you believe that lead may be present in your home, do not attempt to remove it by yourself. Instead, call the experts who have years of experience in identifying and removing lead from properties just like yours. Brickley Environmental is here to help. 

Why Call Brickley Environmental? 

Brickley Environmental will test for the presence of lead and initiate removal procedures to ensure that it is gone from your home or building. Do not wait, call Brickley Environmental today and let their experts inspect and remove the lead from your property. 

Please call your doctor or visit the CDC’s website for more information if you believe you may have been exposed to lead or have lead poisoning.

For more information on how Brickley Environmental can help, check out our Services page!

paint over the danger of lead

Protect Your Family From Exposure to Lead

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paint over the danger of lead

Lead contamination has been in the news recently, most notably in cities where the water supply have been tainted by the presence of lead. However, one of the most common sources of lead contamination originates from lead paint that was used in homes prior to 1978. The dust from that lead paint is one of the most common sources of lead poisoning which affects families around the world.

Any lead paint that was used in homes prior to 1978 may be under several layers of newer, non-lead paints. As long as the newer paint is still intact, then the lead is most likely under control. However, it is when the newer paint ages and deteriorates that lead contamination becomes a problem. This is particularly true around windows, door frames, and stairs as children may lick or chew on these areas.

Other sources of lead include pipes and plumbing materials which were commonly made from lead until 1986. In addition, lead dust that is tracked into the home from the outside, usually from exterior lead paints, industrial pollution, and even old gasoline that contained lead.

How to Protect from Lead Exposure

To keep you and your family safe from lead exposure, you should take the following steps:

Remove Your Shoes & Wash Your Hands. You can minimize the tracking of lead dust from outside your home by removing your shoes as you enter the home. This means that whatever lead dust is on your shoes stays near the door and is not tracked inside. Plus, washing your hands will remove any particles that might be present. It’s also good hygiene that can lower the risk of catching a cold, flu, or virus.

Plant Bushes Around the Home.  This keeps kids from playing next to the home where old lead paint may be present. This minimizes the possibility of lead dust coming into contact with children when playing outdoors.

Maintain the Condition of Your Property. If you add new layers of paint when needed, inspect the water supply coming into your home, and keep aware of any news reports of possible lead contamination, you can minimize the danger.

Have Your Home and Property Inspected. If your home was built before 1978 and you do not know what paints were used at that time, then you should have it inspected for the presence of lead. This means contacting a professional company that has a stellar reputation and experience in identifying and removing lead from the home.

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you suspect that your home may be contaminated with lead, contact the professionals at Brickley Environmental. We have the knowledge and experience to identify and remove lead contamination that may be present. Over the years, we have worked with home and business owners just like you to ensure that their properties are safe from lead contamination.

Call our offices today and we will listen to your concerns, explain our services, and inspect your property at your convenience. At Brickley Environmental, we understand the dangers of lead contamination and what it can do to the health of those living or working on the property.