If you have an older home in Colorado Springs or surrounding areas, you may have harmful lead in your home’s paint and/or well water systems. Unfortunately, lead can be dangerous. Thus, testing for the presence of lead in a home environment is important for both safety and health. Homeowners should take steps to test their home’s interior and exterior surfaces as well as their drinking water for the presence of lead.
At AmPro Inspections, we offer professional lead testing services to help homeowners like you identify potential sources of lead in the home environment. Knowing that your home is free from lead contamination can help provide peace of mind and protect the health and safety of you, your family, and visitors to your home.
If you have an older home or suspect you might have lead in your home’s paint or water, contact us today at AmPro Inspections to schedule lead testing:
What Is Lead?
Lead is a naturally occurring element found in the environment that can be hazardous to human health, particularly for children and pregnant women. Lead is a soft, malleable metal that was used widely in paint products until 1978 when it was banned from interior and exterior paints. Lead can still be found in other surfaces and materials throughout older homes such as pipes, stained glass, and ceramic glazes.
Why Is Lead Bad?
Lead can enter the body when lead-based paint is ingested or inhaled in dust form. Ingestion of lead can cause gastrointestinal problems, kidney damage, and anemia. Long-term exposure to lead can also result in cognitive deficits, learning disabilities, and behavioral issues.
Testing for Lead in Your Home’s Paint
Testing for the presence of lead in the home is an important part of a home inspection. Lead paint can be tested using specialized kits. To test for the presence of lead in paint, a sample must first be taken from the surface being tested and placed into a container that comes with the kit. It is important to note that testing alone will not determine the health risk associated with lead in the home.
While there are at-home lead testing kits available, it’s advised to hire a certified home inspector who has the proper equipment and training to test your home properly and thoroughly. If lead is detected, your home inspector will be able to provide a recommendation to mitigate the lead.
For more information on how to properly sample and test for lead, consult a certified inspector or contact your local health department.
Testing for Lead in Your Water
Lead can also be found in drinking water if plumbing pipes and wells are made from lead-containing materials. Homeowners with water wells can have their water tested by a professional home inspector at AmPro Inspections to determine if it contains lead. If lead is present, we can identify the suspicious sources and recommend solutions for reducing its levels.