Suggested Review – :033
Today’s 1:5:10:365 Tip for becoming a better steward for our home and planet is about lead in our homes.
1:5:10:034 Tip: Lead-based paint has been used in pre-1980 buildings and can be screened using the lead test kits discussed in :033. This is a screening tool only and does not answer the question about how much lead is present. Another technique is to submit a small chip of the material for laboratory analysis (this requires damaging the painted surface – which may not matter if the paint is already deteriorating).
Lead containing dust from deteriorating paint is frequently the greatest risk for exposure. In Additional Information I have posted an EPA link to a PDF describing a method for collecting dust using baby wipes that can be submitted to a laboratory for analysis.
One method of professional testing is called Xray fluorescence. This machine is expensive and requires training so it is not a do it yourself method, but it is generally the most cost effective since a consultant can evaluate several hundred different surfaces very quickly.
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Additional Information
EPA has provided information about lead at http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm#facts
They also have instructions for collecting wipe samples following HUD guidelines at
http://www.epa.gov/WTC/panel/pdfs/5-att-2_hud_lead_wipe_sampling.pdf
Analysis of these wipes can be arranged by contacting one of our sponsors: Restoration Consultants http://www.restconenvironmental.com/
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