All About Lead
Where Can Lead Be Found?
If lead is found in your home, chances are it is located in old paint used on walls, doors, trim, and furniture. Lead was commonly added to paints to increase opacity, durability, resist moisture and accelerate drying times. Lead has also been used as a pigment, creating yellow, red, and white colored paints.
Dangers of Lead Exposure
Unlike substances such as asbestos, silica and lead, when ingested (swallowed or inhaled) it enters your bloodstream. This means that exposure to lead can result in a variety of different symptoms affecting almost any organ in your body. Symptoms of lead poisoning range from behavioral issues and brain damage, to abdominal pain, to weakness in joints, and can even result in death. Children are at a higher risk for lead poisoning, as their bodies process and excrete excess lead about 60% slower than that of an adult, furthermore, a small child is more likely to put an object containing lead paint in their mouth.
When It Becomes A Problem
Lead paint, if untouched, does not pose an immediate threat to you or your family. If the lead paint in your home begins peeling and chipping however, you will want to have it carefully removed by a trained professional.
What Does The Removal Process Look Like?
Lead paint is typically removed by grinding it off of the affected surface. This creates a fine dust that can be easily inhaled if you are not properly protected. The dust then enters your lungs, where the lead is absorbed into your blood stream. This type of work should always be preformed by a trained professional, and for the same reason, lead paints found in your home should not be scraped, sanded or disturbed in any way unless you are properly protected.