Have you been concerned about paint chips, which you find crumbling in the back of your closets? When you sweep the floor, do you discover more of these broken pieces around the baseboards of your home? If you purchased a home that was built before 1978, you may have cause for concern.
Tips to Protect Your Family
In “Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offer important information on this subject. To begin, the report provides “Simple Steps to Protect Your Family from Lead Hazards” including:
- Don’t try to remove lead-based paint yourself.
- Always keep painted surfaces in good condition to minimize deterioration.
- Get your home checked for lead hazards.
- Regularly clean floors, windowsills and other surfaces.
- Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust when remodeling.
In addition:
- When renovating, repairing or painting, hire only EPA- or state-approved Lead-Safe certified renovation firms.
- Before buying, renting or renovating your home, have it checked for lead-based paint.
- Consult your health care provider about testing your children for lead. Your pediatrician can check for lead with a simple blood test.
- Wash children’s hands, bottles, pacifiers and toys frequently.
- Make sure children avoid fatty (or high fat) foods and eat nutritious meals high in iron and calcium.
- Remove shoes or wipe soil off shoes before entering your home.
Ways to Identify Lead-Based Paint and Related Hazards
If you find peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking or damaged lead-based paint, it is a hazard that requires immediate attention. Lead-based paint may also be harmful for children and pets in the following locations:
- Windows and sills
- Doors and frames
- Stairs, railings, banisters and porches
According to this report, “Lead-based paint is usually not a hazard if it is in good condition and if it is not on an impact or friction surface like a window.” However, lead dust can form when lead-based paint is:
- Scraped
- Sanded
- Heated
Lead dust also forms in the following situations:
- Painted surfaces with lead bump or rub together.
- Lead paint chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch.
- Settled lead dust can reenter the air when the home is vacuumed or swept, or when people walk through it.
Safe Lead Paint and Other Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Removal
If you need safe lead paint removal, the certified HAZMAT cleanup specialists at NWA Restore It, Inc. can help. We are also certified in the following areas:
- Methamphetamine lab decontamination
- Asbestos inspection
- Crime scene cleanup of blood borne pathogens
Concerns about hazardous materials can be stressful. NWA Restore It, Inc.’s HAZMAT specialists are equipped and ready to eliminate your worries safely and cost effectively. If you need HAZMAT cleanup in Rogers, AR, contact NWA Restore It, Inc. now.
