That’s why AirMD offers testing for mold, VOCs, and lead

When they first think of us, most people think of things like the VOC testing, asbestos inspections, mold testing and mold removal Boca Raton based AirMD performs. Yes, we are experts when it comes to mold testing in Orlando and mold removal in Tampa, but our science-based environmental testing and consulting services cover a broad range of health hazards – including lead contamination.

It hasn’t been long since headlines about the lead contamination in the water that families in Flint, Michigan had believed to be safe first caught the nation’s attention. Knowing what’s in the water you drink, use for bathing and cook with is important, but water isn’t the only possible source of lead contamination.

Lead Contamination

Lead poses serious health risks for children. But, as WebMD reports, “Many parents don’t know much about how to prevent lead poisoning. Lead isn’t only in paint chips. It can show up in surprising places — like dust on your windowsill, or in your vegetable garden, or in a playground.”

If you have questions regarding possible lead contamination, an experienced AirMD consultant can offer answers. In general, lead contamination is insidious. It can be ingested or inhaled. Depending on the level of exposure, a child exposed to lead may experience damage to his or her nervous system, headaches, high blood pressure, digestive problems and muscle or joint pain.

Despite the threat lead poses, WebMD reports that, “Many parents don’t know much about how to prevent lead poisoning. Lead isn’t only in paint chips. It can show up in surprising places — like dust on your windowsill, or in your vegetable garden, or in a playground.”

WebMD identified 5 Surprising Sources of Lead Exposure you should be aware of, including:

Lead Dust

“Although lead-based paint hasn’t been sold since 1978, plenty of older homes still have it,” WebMD explains. “Tiny fragments of lead paint can float through the air and accumulate on surfaces throughout your house. Babies can pick them up on their hands and get them into their mouths. They can also breathe them in directly. Contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t take much. Even at very low levels of exposure, lead dust can cause harm.”

Lead and Home Renovations

You may be careful to buy only safe products for your project, but if you have an older home, you could expose lead paint and send particles into the air in the process.

Lead in the Backyard or Playground

WebMD reports that, “Any structures built before 1978 — houses, schools, barns, sheds, fences, and playground equipment — might have once had lead paint on the exterior. As that paint breaks down, it can contaminate the soil beneath it.”

Lead in Children’s Toys

“Imported toys tainted with lead have made news recently. The lead can be both in the paint and in the plastic itself. Sucking or chewing on the toy — or getting lead on the hands — can be enough to poison a child.”

Lead in Water Pipes

“10%-20% of childhood lead poisoning is caused by contaminated drinking water. It might not surprise you that old plumbing — especially from 1930 or earlier — can contain lead,” WebMD says. “Here’s what is surprising: pipes in very new homes are potentially a greater risk for lead.”

If your home or office building is less than five years old, the EPA says you should assume your water is contaminated by lead.  An AirMD assessment can provide peace of mind. Call 1-888-462-4763 for more information on lead testing or on any of our other services, including asbestos inspections, VOC testing and mold removal. Boca Raton based AirMD is here for you.

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Knowing the importance of lead testing is crucial for every homeowner. Exposure to lead can have lasting effects to all those who come in contact with it, especially women and children who run the risk of obtaining terrible side effects if exposed too long.

Lead can be found within dust, soil, paint and is often inhaled or ingested into the body.

Lead exposure can harm children’s development. They can experience delays in puberty, hearing loss, kidney damage, speech impairment, and a weakened immune system. Lead exposure can also cause adverse effects on a child’s brain and nervous systems.

For women, lead exposure can lead to an increase in fertility issues, miscarriages, and stillbirths. Men can also feel the effects of lead exposure through reproductive problems.

One of the most severe complications to lead exposure is that it can cause a higher risk for developing cancers in those individuals who are left exposed to it for extended periods.

Symptoms of lead exposure include seizure, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, muscle pains, and coma.

Extended exposure can result in exhibiting worse symptoms such as irritability, lack of energy, loss of appetite, behavioral issues, impaired growth, poor coordination, and learning disabilities.

It is essential to have your home tested due to the severe issues lead exposure can lead to. Having lead testing conducted in your home is a straightforward, routine procedure done by our trained staff here at AirMD. To make an appointment to set up lead testing, call us today at 1-888-462-4763 or 1-888-Go-AIRMD. We also offer allergen testing, asbestos testing, asbestos surveys, lead testing, lead paint testing, water testing, allergy testing, VOC testing, mold testing, water quality and so much more. You can also look around our webpage to see what other services we have to offer to you and your household.

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EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP Rule) requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and pre-schools built before 1978 have their firm certified by EPA (or an EPA authorized state) and follow lead-safe work practices. OSHA requires that no employee is exposed to any lead above the permissible exposure level regardless of building type. The first process is to complete a lead inspection and it is required on all structures built prior to 1978 irrespective of the EPA rule limiting it to homes, child care facilities and pre-schools. Failure to follow the regulations can result in fines and license revocation.

Lead inspections include identifying the areas that will be disturbed during the renovation or demolition. The certified lead inspector collects the lead samples by two accepted methods. The first is collecting physical paint chip samples which are sent to an independent laboratory for analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The second method is collecting direct lead readings from the painted surfaces using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry which is an elemental analysis technique. Both methods provide the lead content in paint, once the results are generated, a report is issued interpreting the results with reference to the documented regulations.

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