LEAD TESTING INSPECTION FOR LA, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, VENTURA

Lead inspection / testing is still of great concern to home and business owners. The legacy of lead in paints is still with us. For LA (Los Angeles County, Ventura) lead inspection and testing, our services are certified and your needs are quickly responded to. Lead testing for your home or business needs to be part of an inspection plan—especially if your home or building comes out of the era of 1980 and before.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET RESULTS?

For lead inspection testing, generally two to three working days is required from the time of inspection until the final report is generated and e-mailed to the client.

For more information and / or to schedule appointments for a Lead Based Paint Survey contact Steve Roquemore (Lead Certification issued by the California Department of Health Services #17870) at 818-886-2070 or 800-761-1660 in California. 

ABOUT LEAD-BASED PAINT

Lead is a highly toxic metal that may cause a range of health problems, especially in young children. In LA lead was used as a pigment and drying agent in alkyd oil based paints, latex water based paints generally have not contained lead. Because of the popularity of alkyd paints in the 1940's through the 1960's, there are many sources for lead exposure in a household. Primarily, deteriorating lead paint surfaces and lead dust are attributed as the most common cause of lead poisoning. Exposure is also possible from lead in water, in food, lead glazed ceramics, lead paint on toys and in art paint.

Before the health effects of lead paint were known, lead paint was considered one of the best means of protecting against weathering of exterior surfaces. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, 61% of all painted exterior areas contained lead paint before 1940. In high quality paints, concentrations of 40-60% lead was not uncommon. The Table below shows a statistical breakdown of lead painted surfaces on house components from the late 1970's back. Because of its' corrosion resisting qualities, lead paint was most commonly used around windows (to seal wood trim) and on railings to protect subsurfaces. Lead paint was also painted on a variety of sidings and brick walls for added protection from the elements.

Because the symptoms of poisoning from lead based paint can be subtle and difficult to diagnose, it is important to test for lead paint if the house was built before 1978 and contains peeling or flaking paint.

HEALTH EFFECTS

Lead testing in Los Angeles county is very important because of the serious toxic effects of lead. Lead paint is a neurotoxin. It affects all of the bodies systems except for pulmonary where it can pass straight through lungs. The greatest effects are to the Central Nervous System via the Circulatory system as well as through absorption into the bones. In people with iron and/or calcium deficiencies, the uptake of lead into the system is exacerbated. The effects from lead exposure vary according to duration and quantity of exposure. Because it directly affects the Central Nervous System, lead can precipitate a variety of ills including: High blood pressure, mood changes, headaches, digestive problems, nerve disorders, muscle and joint pains, kidney damage, suppressed libido, and even the lowering of sperm count. Lead may also cause behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures and in extreme cases, death. Children who are lead poisoned may show no symptoms.

HOW LEAD BASED PAINT CAN ENTER THE BODY

Both inside and outside the home, deteriorated lead-paint releases its lead, which then mixes with household dust and soil.   Children can become lead poisoned by putting their hands or other lead contaminated objects into their mouths, by eating paint chips found in homes with peeling or flaking lead-based paint, and from playing in lead contaminated soil. Because children have a higher metabolism, the lead can be absorbed into the system much quicker and create serious problems. Brain damage, retardation, slow mental development, irreversible learning disabilities, reduced IQ, attention deficit disorders, hyperactivity, damage to kidneys, liver and permanent neurological damage are all possible from exposure to lead.

TYPES OF INSPECTIONS

LEAD BASED PAINT INSPECTION

There are several types of inspections we do. A lead-based paint inspection is a surface by-surface investigation to determine whether there is lead-based paint in the home and where it is located. An inspection may be particularly useful before renovation, repainting, or paint removal.

An inspection includes:

• An inventory of all painted surfaces, including the outside as well as the inside of the home. ‘Painted surfaces’ include all surfaces coated with paint, shellac, varnish, stain, coating, or even paint covered by wallpaper.
• Selection and testing of each type of painted surface.

Then you should get a report listing the painted surfaces in the home and whether each painted surface contains lead-based paint. An inspection does not typically test painted furniture unless it is a permanent part of the home, such as kitchen or bathroom cabinets or built-in bookshelves. Soil, dust, and water are not typically tested during an inspection. The presence of lead-based paint in a home does not necessarily mean there is a lead-based paint hazard to occupants. To make sure, you may want a different testing approach (either a risk assessment or hazard screen).

RISK ASSESSMENT

A risk assessment is an on-site investigation to determine the presence, type, severity, and location of lead-based paint hazards. The presence of deteriorated lead-based paint or high levels of lead in dust or soil pose potential hazards to children who may ingest lead inside or playing outside.

A risk assessment includes:

• A visual inspection of the residence to determine the location of deteriorated paint, the extent and causes of the deterioration, and other factors that may cause lead exposure to young children inside or outside the home.
• Testing deteriorated paint and paint on surfaces where there is reason to believe (from teeth marks or from reports of a parent) that a child has chewed, licked, or mouthed the paint. Painted surfaces in good condition are not tested.
• Testing household dust from floors and windows. Samples should include areas from a child’s bedroom, a child’s main play area, the main entrance, and other locations to be chosen by the certified Risk Assessor.
• Testing bare soil from play areas, the building foundation, and possibly other areas around the home.
• Optional water testing.

LEAD HAZARD SCREEN

A lead hazard screen is a limited version of a risk assessment for houses with a low chance of lead risks. In a lead hazard screen:

• Any painted surfaces in a deteriorated condition are tested.
• Two sets of dust samples are collected in a lead hazard screen. One set represents the floors and the other set represents the windows. Typically, there is less dust sampling in a lead hazard screen than in a risk assessment.
• Usually soil samples are not collected in a lead hazard screen, with one exception. If there is evidence of paint chips in the soil from previous exterior repainting, then the soil should be sampled and tested.

The outcome of the lead hazard screen is either a conclusion that lead-based paint hazards are probably not present or a recommendation that a full risk assessment be conducted to determine if such hazards are present. In a lead hazard screen, only deteriorated paint is tested. Thus, a lead hazard screen cannot conclude there is no lead-based paint in the home. A lead hazard screen is only recommended for residences that are generally in good condition, with little visible dust, and with paint in good condition (very little chipping or flaking). In general, a lead hazard screen will be more useful in housing built after 1960.

TESTING FOR LEAD IN WATER

Lead testing in water is very important. Lead pipes and lead solder were used until recently in plumbing and lead leaked into drinking water. Water testing is available as an optional service.