When you sweep your floors are you concerned when you find paint chips around the edges? Are you constantly worried that curious toddlers or pets will try to eat these hazardous materials (HAZMAT)? To ease these concerns, it is important to understand potential health threats and take action to protect your family now!
Lead-Based Paint Chips and Potential Health Problems
When you see lead-based paint chips scattered across your living room floor, you have serious reason to worry. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, consumption of lead may result in multiple health problems including:
- Brain and organ damage
- Difficulties with behavior
- Learning problems
- Seizures
- Death
Lead-Poisoning Symptoms
To help you remain aware of lead-poisoning symptoms, we would like to share this list:
- Headaches
- Stomachaches
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Irritability
It is also important to know that children may not show any of these signs, even when they are in danger. If you have any reason to suspect that they have placed paint chips in their mouth, be sure to consult your family doctor immediately.
Precautions to Reduce the Chances of Lead Poisoning
If you own a home that was constructed before 1978, your family may have an increased chance of exposure to lead-based paint. If you find paint chips in any area of your home, here are some steps you can take to protect your loved ones:
- Use a wet paper towel, which you should discard, to clean window sills thoroughly
- Dampen a mop to keep floors free of debris every week
- Vacuum carpets and fabric-covered furniture regularly
- Remove shoes, sneakers and boots before entering your home
- Avoid stirring up dust during home renovations
Hire Professionals for HAZMAT Cleanup Northwest Arkansas
Our certified HAZMAT cleanup specialists at NWA Restore It, Inc. are considered Northwest Arkansas’s HAZMAT experts. Besides lead paint removal, we are certified in the following:
- Asbestos inspection
- Crime scene cleanup
- Methamphetamine lab decontamination
Although the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) does not require all of these certifications, we are committed to providing the most qualified technicians for all of your HAZMAT needs. We are one of only two Certified Clandestine Laboratory Remediation Contractors under the ADEQ in the Northwest Arkansas area and one of nine in the entire state of Arkansas. Contact us!