Illinois is home to thousands of properties built before 1978, and many families are unknowingly living in the hidden danger of lead-based paint. Can yours be one of these? We never know, but it would be better to find out by seeing building documents.

Lead-based paint was once widely used in home construction and is now recognized as a significant health risk. About 75% of Illinois homes built before 1978 are reported to contain lead-based paint. In fact, if you have young children and pregnant women living in your home, you need to be extra cautious.

Despite the dangers this paint poses, most homeowners still seem unaware of the potential hazards lurking beneath layers of old paint. This is why it is important to address this issue to ensure the safety and well-being of your family.

In this blog, we will guide you through the risks associated with lead-based paint, how to identify it, and steps you can take to eliminate this hidden threat.

What Are the Hazards of Lead-Based Paint?

For most of the older properties in Illinois, lead-based paint poses a significant yet underestimated threat. Back in the days, this toxic metal was commonly used in household paint, leading to severe health issues, especially when it starts to deteriorate. With the aging of paint, it chips, peels, and turns into dust – becoming easier for children and adults to inhale or ingest.

Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of lead-based paint:

Health Risks for Children

Lead poisoning is a silent but serious threat to children. Young children are more vulnerable to this threat because of their growing bodies that absorb lead more readily than adults. So, even in case of minimal exposure, it can have major side effects like:

Developmental delays
Learning disabilities
Behavioral issues

Unfortunately, lead poisoning often goes unnoticed until these symptoms become severe, by which time the damage may be irreversible.

Health Risks for Adults

Undoubtedly, lead exposure is more pronounced in children, but of course, adults are not immune to the paint’s harmful effects. Even in adults, long-term paint exposure can lead to serious neurological issues like:

Memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Mood disturbances

Over time, these symptoms can significantly impact your daily life. Also, if you’ve pregnant women living with you, then the risks get even higher.

How to Test for Lead-Based Paint?

You can test for lead-based paint using a home testing kit or professional assessments. Let’s have a detailed look at each of these options below:

Home Testing Kits

The easiest way to test for lead-based paint is using a home testing kit. These kits are relatively easy to use and can be found at most hardware stores. They usually involve rubbing a chemical solution on the painted surface. If the solution changes color, it is a clear sign that lead is present in the paint.

However, these kits are relatively cheaper, easier to use, and convenient, but they do come with limitations. Most of the time, they give false positives or negatives and are generally less accurate than professional testing methods. Also, these kits might not detect lower levels of lead or might miss its presence if the lead-based paint is covered by newer layers or non-lead paint.

Professional Inspection

If you want to play safe, this is the way. Hire a certified lead inspector or risk assessor to conduct a lead-based paint test for your Illinois home. During the process, these professionals use specialized tools like X-ray fluorescence (XRF) devices to detect lead content without damaging the paint. Besides this, they can also take dust, paint, and soil samples for laboratory analysis. Overall, this provides you with a comprehensive assessment of lead hazards in your home.

But when should you consider professional assessment?

The best time to schedule a professional assessment is when planning renovations. During this time, the lead-based paint can get disturbed and start imposing major issues. So, it is better to stay thorough and get peace of mind by ensuring you’re fully informed about any risks in your home.

How to Remove Lead-Based Paint?

Removing lead-based paint from your Illinois home involves careful planning and execution to ensure safety and effectiveness. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

Preparation

Before starting off with the removal of lead-based paint, you need to prepare your home first. For this, you shall start by identifying all the areas affected by lead-based paint. Inspect the surfaces for chipping, peeling, or deteriorating paint. These are the clear indicators of the presence of lead-based paint.

Once this is done, you need to develop a detailed plan for the removal process. Make sure to prioritize the most affected areas first. If the contamination is extensive and you’re unsure about the seriousness of the issue, you must choose to hire a professional.

Remember: proper preparation is important to ensure a safer and more effective removal process.

Safety Precautions

Once the preparations are all set, you need to move forward with the safety precautions. Make sure that you have all the appropriate protective gear. Usually, this includes a respirator with a HEPA filter, safety goggles, and disposable gloves. Once used, this gear protects you from inhaling or coming into contact with lead dust.

Additionally, ensure that your work area is well-ventilated. You can open windows or use fans to direct dust outside. To prevent lead dust from contaminating other areas of your home, you can cover floors, furniture, and other items with plastic sheeting. Don’t forget to seal off doors and vents.

Removal Methods

When all is set, you need to choose the right removal method. You can use one of the following methods to remove lead-based paint:

Wet scraping: This involves moistening the painted surface with water or a lead-specific solution to loosen the paint. After this, the paint is scraped off with a putty knife. Wet scraping is a method that reduces dust, but it can be labor-intensive.

Chemical strippers: If you choose this method, you need to apply a gel or liquid that breaks down the paint. Once this is done, it becomes easier to remove the paint. However, you need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety guidelines when choosing this method.

Heat guns: These can soften the paint, making it easier to scrape off. However, you must use it with extreme caution to avoid releasing toxic fumes.

Tip: Each method has its own set of advantages, but you should select one based on your project’s specific needs.

Cleanup

After cautiously removing lead-based paint, you must thoroughly clean the area to prevent lead dust from spreading and contaminating other areas. For this, you can use a HEPA vacuum to clean up dust and paint chips carefully and remove all plastic sheeting used to contain dust.

Dispose of lead-contaminated waste, including paint chips and cleaning materials, following the local hazardous waste disposal regulations. Also, wash all surfaces with a lead-specific cleaner or a mixture of water and detergent to remove any residual lead dust.

Conclusion

Addressing lead-based paint hazards is crucial for safeguarding the health and safety of your family, particularly in homes built before 1978 in Illinois.

Taking proactive measures to identify and manage this hidden threat is essential. By understanding the risks associated with lead exposure, using appropriate testing methods, and following safe removal practices, you can effectively mitigate the dangers of lead-based paint in your home.

Whether you tackle the problem yourself or seek professional help, ensuring thorough preparation, adhering to safety precautions, and performing thorough cleanup are key steps in creating a healthier living environment.

So, don’t wait for lead-related health issues to arise—act now to protect your family and enjoy peace of mind, knowing that your home is safe and lead-free.Protect your family with The BrickKicker’s expert lead-based paint testing and sampling services. Our certified professionals use advanced tools to accurately identify lead hazards in your home. Whether for peace of mind or pre-renovation checks, contact us today to schedule your inspection and ensure a safer living environment.

How to Address Lead-based Paint Hazards in Your Home