Do you own a historic home? Historic homes can offer a level of charm, beauty, and character that is difficult to find in newer homes. Unfortunately, many historic homes also contain an element that could be deadly in the form of lead paint. Lead paint was banned in the late 1970s. However, it's still present in many older homes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 90% of homes built before 1940 contain some level of lead paint. That percentage declines as homes get more recent in construction. However, any level of lead paint can permeate soil and water and can lead to illness and even death. Below are some things you should know about lead paint in your historic home and what lead paint renovation services can do about it.

Where Is Lead Paint Located in The Home?

You may not even be aware that you have lead paint in your historic home. In fact, it's possible that you've painted the walls in your home, maybe even several times. Given that experience, you may be confident that your home does not contain lead paint. The truth is that lead paint is often underneath several layers of newer paint. As the paint starts to scratch and chip, the lead paint comes to the surface. It can become part of the dust in your home and can then permeate every surface. If you have a remodeling job that includes stripping paint, you could soon find lead paint chips all over your home. That's why it's so important to work with lead paint renovation services before undertaking a major remodel in your historic home.

What Harm Does Lead Paint Cause?

Lead paint can be a very harmful and damaging element in your home, especially if you have young children or pets in your family. Lead paint can permeate dust, water, soil, and virtually any surface and substance in your home. It can then be inhaled and even ingested. According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms of lead poisoning include unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain, cramps, headaches, joint pain, memory loss, and even low sperm levels in men. Children can experience all those symptoms and also delayed growth, stunted puberty, developmental issues, and learning disabilities. In severe cases, lead paint poisoning can lead to death. Very often, symptoms don't become noticeable until a significant amount of lead is in the system. At lower levels, you may mistake the symptoms for a cold or stomach bug. As lead levels increase, the symptoms usually become more intense. By the time you visit a doctor, you could have serious lead poisoning. For all of these reasons, it's necessary to hire a lead paint renovation service sooner rather than later.

What Options Do Historic Homeowners Have to Deal With Lead Paint?

The best way to minimize the risk of lead in your home is to remove all sources of lead paint. While you work on hiring a reputable service to remove the lead, you should regularly check surfaces for chipped or cracked paint. Paint over any chips in the paint that you discover. Also, regularly dust surfaces and mop floors to remove any possible sources of lead ingestion.

When you hire lead paint renovation services in your area, they strip all of your walls, ceilings, and other surfaces free from paint. That'll ultimately remove the base level of lead paint from your home. They can also do this in a way that minimizes dust and lead paint particles in your home. When the job is complete, they can test the home for lead, identify any remaining sources, and remove those. This can be a complicated job but it can give you the complete knowledge that your home is free of lead paint and your family is safe from lead poisoning.

Ready to remove the lead paint from your historic home? Contact us today at ASAP Environmental Inc. We can analyze your home and test for lead levels so you know how much lead is in your home, then start the process of removing paint and stripping lead paint from your walls and ceilings. When the job is done, you'll know with confidence that your home is free of lead paint.