Lead paint is present in millions of homes throughout the United States, and it can pose serious health risks as it deteriorates over time or if it’s disturbed during a renovation. If you think you might have lead paint somewhere in your home, you need to know how to identify it. But what does lead paint look like? How do you know if you have it in your home and where and what to look for? Keep reading to learn what lead paint looks like and how to deal with it once it’s found.

Do You Have Lead Paint In Your Home?

Lead-based paint was widely used before the federal ban. As a result, it’s not just possible, but likely that you have some lead paint somewhere in your home. The CDC estimates that over 29 million housing units in the United States currently contain serious lead-based paint hazards.

There are a few ways to determine whether your home contains lead paint:

• Do some research into the age, source, and condition of any paint in your home.
• Use a DIY lead paint test kit.
• Call Precision Environmental to perform a risk assessment on your property
• Where is Lead-Based Paint Found? What to Expect?

Signs of Lead Paint

Unfortunately, there’s no way to simply look at paint and know definitively whether or not it contains lead. Like with most household issues, you’ll have to dig a little deeper and actually get it tested to be sure. That being said, there are some things you can look for that are common indicators of lead paint, and keeping an eye out for them can help you determine whether or not you should get it tested.

If you notice either of these characteristics in any paint in or around your property, you should call Precision Environmental right away. Keep in mind that it may be harder to spot scaly or chalky paint if it has layers of new paint covering it, so it’s a good idea to look inside closets, around baseboards, behind appliances, and in other areas where people may not have bothered to paint over.

Do you think you may have lead paint in your home?

If your home is one of the millions in the United States with surfaces coated in lead paint, it’s important that you’re able to identify it to protect your family’s health and safety should the paint begin to deteriorate, or should you decide to remodel your home. While there are some telltale signs that your paint may contain lead, the safest and surest way to identify it is by having a sample of your paint professionally tested.

Home Insurance and Lead Abatement

Homeowners insurance policies offer excellent protection against risk or loss. They can provide financial protection for your home and personal property in case of natural disasters, theft, and accidents.

However, even the best home insurance companies rarely cover the cost of lead abatement. Many insurance companies have a “lead poisoning exclusion” built into their homeowners policies. The provisions exclude the policy from covering the cost of removal, abatement, or treatment of lead. It also does not include personal liability for lead poisoning.