Get matched with top lead testing and removal specialists in Valley View, PA

How you test for lead in your water depends on the source of your home's water supply. If you have municipal water, your local water system may offer to test the water for free or may connect you to a lab that will perform the testing.

If you have a private well that provides drinking water, you are responsible for testing it for lead. Look for a lab that is accredited by your state's Department of Environmental Protection to perform the test.

Lead toxicity comes from inhaling lead or consuming it. Before the 1980s, when the government banned lead from consumer use, it could be found in paint, plumbing, pipes, ceramics, and even gasoline. Lead paint is toxic for the same reason lead itself is toxic, which is why lead poisoning from paint presents the same as lead poisoning from water or food sources, with a slight increase in respiratory symptoms vs. digestive symptoms. Lead paint is most dangerous when it’s old and peeling, cracking, or otherwise disturbed. This increases the concentration in the air and, therefore, in breathable air. 

You should ask a few questions to ensure that your potential lead removal professional is experienced and qualified to handle lead-paint abatement safely, legally, and properly.

• What are your qualifications and experience removing lead-based paint?

• Are you licensed and certified to remove lead-based paint?

• How do you test for lead paint?

• What methods do you use for lead-based paint abatement?

• What do you plan to do with the hazardous material when you remove it from the home?

• Do you do replacement and painting work or removal only?

Exterior paint contains a higher level of VOCs, which can be dangerous if you’re exposed to it for a long period of time. The good news is that paint’s toxicity reduces significantly once fully dried and cured. Do not keep open exterior paint cans in your home, basement, or garage, exposing your household to harmful chemicals over time.