Lead paint in homes presents a serious health hazard, especially for children. It can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties and physical symptoms like sluggishness, vomiting and hair loss. To protect your family from the dangers of lead paint ingestion, here are some things you should keep in mind:

• The older your house is, the more likely it is to have lead paint. Lead paint was banned from use in the U.S. in 1978, but if your house was built before then, there may be some lead paint remaining in your home. Don't assume that just because you test the surface for lead and it comes back negative, that there is no lead paint present — it may be buried under several other layers of paint that have accumulated over the years.
• When renovating, hire an EPA Lead-Safe Certified contractor. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Lead-Safe Certification is given to contractors who have proven that they are capable of mitigating dangers from lead paint during renovation work on homes built before 1978. If you decide to work with an uncertified contractor, they may not take the job seriously enough. An informal Angie's List study found that 11 percent of contractors gave homeowners bad advice on lead safety.
• Lead paint is not just an inner-city problem. The media has focused a lot on the effects of lead poisoning on inner-city children living in dilapidated housing stock, but many homes outside the city also contain lead paint. The EPA estimates that about 40 percent of homes nationwide remain at risk for dangerous levels of lead paint.

To have your home tested for lead paint, schedule an appointment with Alban Inspections today. Our certified inspectors will give you all the information you need to protect your family from lead poisoning.