When you hire Flood & Flame to do restoration work on your home, whether it be a water, fire or mold job, chances are we will require a lead test before proceeding with the work. If you'd ask us why this is necessary, the most obvious reason we could give you is that we are mandated by law to do the testing, but while that is true, it is probably more helpful to you to explain why these laws exist in the first place; for your health and safety.
Why is lead dangerous?
Lead is highly toxic, particularly to children and pregnant women. Even low levels of exposure can cause significant health problems, including:
- In Children:
- Developmental delays and learning disabilities
- Behavioral issues, such as aggression and hyperactivity
- Damage to the nervous system and reduced IQ
- Stunted physical growth
- In Adults:
- High blood pressure and kidney damage
- Fertility issues in both men and women
- Cognitive decline and memory problems
- Nerve and joint pain
Lead exposure is particularly insidious because symptoms may not appear immediately, making it difficult to identify the source until long-term damage has occurred.
Where is lead commonly found in homes?
Lead can be present in many areas of the home, often in surprising places:
Paint is probably the least suprising source of lead in older homes. If your house was built between 1940 and 1960, there's a 2 in 3 chance there's lead paint present, and any home built before 1940 has a 9 out of 10 chance! While intact lead-based paint may not pose an immediate risk, paint that is peeling, chipping, or disturbed during renovations releases harmful lead dust into the air. It's pretty obvious why we, as a restoration company, have to be careful about lead paint when doing any type of demolition activity in an older home.
Soil surrounding older homes could be contaminated by lead paint residues or past use of leaded gasoline. Children playing outdoors and gardening activities can stir up contaminated soil, so while you probably do not need another reason to tell your child to not eat dirt and wash their hands before eating, lead is actualy a pretty good one.
Lead pipes or plumbing fixtures with lead solder could be present in homes built before 1986, and even modern brass faucets may contain trace amounts of lead. Lead leaches into water, especially warm or acidic water, increasing exposure risk for everyone in the household, with (again) children and infants being the most vulnerable.
Household items can also contain lead. For things like toys, trinkets and jewelry this (again) has to do with lead based paint being used in producing these items. For certain cosmetics, one of the ingredients could also contain lead. Be careful when importing cheap stuff from abroad, since there are still countries with less strict regulations surrounding the use of lead and lead paint who produce things (even some lead containing edibles) you really should not be buying.
When will a lead test be required?
Homes built before 1979 should always be tested for the presence of lead prior to starting remediation work, simply because the chance of lead being present in building materials is so significant. If you or a previous owner had a lead test done in the past and you have documentation proving this, another lead test will not be neccessary.
It is important to note that we have the responsibility to require lead testing for any property, old or new, if we suspect lead might be present. This is unlikely in newer homes, but not 100% impossible.
Flood & Flame Restoration is serious about lead
Flood & Flame Restoration prides itself in prioritizing safety for both workers and occupants above all else. While doing restoration work, the primary lead related issues we will be dealing with are going to be related to lead paint in older homes. However, that does not mean you should not care about the other ways lead can creep into your life. Get your pipes checked, get your child some quality toys, confirm the cosmetics you use are safe and stop buying those cheap tchotchke's online!