Lead inspection Orange County should be done if you suspect the presence of lead on your property. If you aren’t sure whether your property contains lead, testing is very simple. Continue reading as we explain different ways you can test your water and paint for lead. You will also learn what to do if you think your property has lead.
When to test for lead
Properties built before 1978 have a high chance of containing lead. While the use of lead paint was common before 1940, it was entirely banned in 1978 but there could be contamination in properties up to date. If you don’t know when your property was constructed or if you don’t know if your property has been tested for lead, you can do a test yourself. Doing a test will help you determine if your property has lead.
Know when to test for lead in drinking water
If your property was constructed before 1986, or if your source of water was built before 1986 then you could be having lead contamination. Lead is capable of leaching out of pipes, fixtures or solder depending on the acidity of the water. If it is not the case you’ll have lead contamination just because your property is old. The acidity of local water could change due to population size changes, drought or other factors. So, it is a great idea to do lead testing if you suspect your pipes have some lead components.
Know when to test for lead in your soil
Soil is another place you should look for contamination of lead. Soil can become contaminated by flaking lead paint from older buildings. From the use of unleaded gasoline to exhaust from vehicles and industrial sites, different things can be a source of contamination. You can determine if your yard is at high risk for contamination by checking for deteriorating paint or flaking paint.
Preventing lead exposure
If you suspect lead in your property, you should not be afraid because the good news is that you can easily test for lead. There are different steps you can take to reduce the risk of lead exposure. Kids tend to be more susceptible to lead poisoning. This means that if you have children under six years you should call a professional to do the testing for you. Prolonged exposure to lead and dust from flaking paint can affect adults too. It never hurt to do testing for your property.
Home testing
If you want to test for lead in paint, there are two types of tests you can use. You can use sodium rhodizonate swabs for dark colors besides red or pink. You can also use sodium sulfide swabs for light-colored paint. Choose the test kit that is right for the color of your paint and follow the instructions on the package to test different areas of your property. Kits for lead inspection Orange County are available in hardware stores and you can get free kits from some municipalities.