After finally moving into your new house and getting all settled in, you think now is the time to put on your personal touch to the house, so it reflects your tastes, and the old paint on this 1960’s house looks like it can use some sprucing up. Some of it is chipping in some places. It seems like the previous owners put on half a dozen layers of paint, making the walls look uneven and bumpy. To get the best results, you’ll need to strip the old paint off and start with a clean wall, but the color underneath may have lead, which can be dangerous for your health if disturbed.
The use of lead-based paint has been banned by the EPA since 1968, as it is primarily known to cause several health problems in young children—early childhood development and organ failure. To make sure you are not disturbing and exposing yourself to this toxic substance, you will need to get the paint tested for lead, but the good news is that you can do most of the work yourself.
You will need to wear some latex gloves, a half-face respirator, and maybe even some coveralls to start the process. Get a good buck knife, a couple of Ziploc® sandwich bags or small jars, a marker, and a piece of paper. Cut a 3 square inch piece of paint, make sure to get all the layers, and get a sample from each wall with a different color. Label each bag with a number, location, and color. Also, write this information down on a notepad. At this point, your part of the process is mainly done. The samples you collected will need to be examined under a microscope; unless you have the proper testing equipment and know-how, a microscopist will need to take over at this point.
Lead testing near me
The lead paint chip pieces will need to be dropped off or mailed to a lead testing lab. You can find such lab by conducting a google search for “lead testing near me” on the internet, and you are sure to find several options to choose from. When you contact a lead testing lab, ask them if they are accredited to conduct lead testing, ask them to see a sample of the report, and make sure they will help interpret the results. The limit for lead in paint is less than < 90 parts per million. Under this threshold, the EPA does not require abatement.
If you need lead testing for your home, contact the professionals at 5 Microns Inc. we have the tools and expertise to test for lead. We can also come to you and perform the lead survey, or if you prefer dropping off or sending us your samples, we are happy to assist you in whatever way is most convenient for you. Please feel free to contact our experts between the hours of 8-9 Monday to Friday and 9-3:30 Saturday. Our standard turnaround time is 2-3 business days, but we also offer same-day results.
