Lead Inspection - Why Is It So Important

Jan 23
09:11

2012

Aaliyah Arthur

Aaliyah Arthur

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Have you ever had a lead inspection in your home? Learn why it is so important.

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If you live in a home that was built prior to 1978,Lead Inspection - Why Is It So Important Articles you should have a lead inspection done. This vital testing could save your family from a lot of pain and suffering. Understanding why these inspections are so important is crucial to helping you keep those who come to your home, or live there, safe.

The reason that these inspections are so vital is because of the potential for lead poisoning. This medical condition occurs when the body has high levels of this particular metal. Because the metal was commonly found in paints made before 1978, older homes must be tested.

Why is this such a serious condition? This metal can interfere with the development of the nervous system. In homes with children, this means that the children could be prone to learning and behavioral disorders as a result of exposure to the metal.

Interestingly, symptoms of the poisoning can be different in adults and children. Adults often experience abdominal pain, kidney failure, headaches, memory loss, pain, weakness, problems with the male reproductive system, and tingling in the extremities. In children, some of these same symptoms may be present, but they also sometimes experience bizarre behavior, apathy, or a lack of coordination. Learning disabilities and behavioral disorders can be a long-term symptom. Encephalitis can also occur.

Interestingly, problems with the nervous system are typical with intense, but not repeated, exposure. Exposure over long periods of time often causes gastrointestinal symptoms.

Children are more at risk than adults for this problem, which is why lead inspection in homes with young children is so highly recommended. Children spend a lot of time on the floor, and there they can ingest or inhale dust containing particles of the metal. If the home has the metal, chances are high the children will ingest some of it, even if they are not regularly chewing on the walls.

The metal can also be found in soil around your home. Contaminated soil can create a risk for young children, who explore with their mouths. That soil can leach some of the metal into your groundwater, which could contaminate well water, leading to problems with drinking water. Older plumbing or fixtures containing the metal may also leach it into drinking water.

The poisoning is entirely preventable, and that is good news to concerned parents. Start the process by having a professional lead inspection to rule out any sources of the metal in your home. If you find any, have your children visit the pediatrician for a blood test to determine if they have any in their systems. Help keep them from problems by encouraging hand washing, vacuuming frequently, eliminating contaminated substances, and increasing the children's intake of calcium. If the problem is found in your water, consider talking to a professional plumber about ways to fix it.

Remember, if your lead inspection and blood testing find a problem, there are solutions. But you cannot fix a problem if you do not know it is there, so you need to start at the beginning with the inspections.