When To Test
If the building was constructed in or before 1978, it is advisable to consider lead screening, especially if there are children present or you have concerns about lead exposure. Lead-based paint (LBP) was widely used in buildings before its ban in 1978 due to its durability and quality, but it poses significant health risks, especially to young children and pregnant women.
This service covers one testing area, and additional samples are available for an additional charge.
Lead-Based Paint
Lead-based paint (LBP) is a concern in most homes and buildings built before 1978. In the U.S., white lead was extensively used as a pigment in paint until the rising cost of lead in the 1960s prompted the use of alternative pigments. The growing awareness of lead poisoning resulted in the eventual ban of lead-based paint in 1978, when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the sale and distribution of residential paint containing lead. Before the decline in use and eventual ban of lead-based paint, it was considered a high-quality and durable paint. It is estimated that over 80% of the buildings built before 1978 contain some lead-based paint.
Dangers of Lead
The primary concern with having lead-based paint in the home or commercial building is lead poisoning from inhaling lead dust, ingesting lead dust from placing hands or other objects covered with lead dust in the mouth, or even ingesting lead paint chips. Lead paint produces a white, chalky film of lead dust over time and, like all paints, will peel and chip when not maintained. Friction on painted surfaces such as doors and windows can also produce lead dust.
Particularly at risk are young children under the age of six. Their innate and indiscriminate habits of putting objects in their mouths make them most susceptible to ingesting lead dust or paint chips. Their proportionally smaller body mass allows dangerously high concentrations of lead to develop more easily with minimal exposure. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 10 percent of U.S. preschoolers suffer from high enough levels of lead in their blood to poison their systems. Also at risk from exposure to lead-based paint are pregnant women. Please note that some states or local authorities require action if a child is found to have lead poisoning or is at risk of lead poisoning. Consult your state agency to see if state or local laws apply to you.
What's Included with Lead Screening
You will receive a full lab report detailing the presence and concentration of lead in tested areas.
An additional report will provide specific recommendations and next steps if lead-based paint is detected.
Convenient Scheduling Options
Schedule Lead Screening in just a few minutes with our online scheduler or calling our scheduling team.
We're Licensed Lead Inspectors
Indiana law requires that any person who engages in lead-based paint activities must first obtain a license from IDOH for each activity. “Lead-based paint activities” means the inspection, risk assessment, and abatement of lead-based paint in target housing and child-occupied facilities. Therefore, our inspectors that sample for Lead are licensed lead inspectors in compliance with Indiana law, ensuring thorough and accurate testing procedures.
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