Lead Testing
Our lead consultants can assist you in a number of ways:
Lead education
Inspection & sampling
Risk assessment
Clearances
Abatement recommendation
Interim Controls
JLM Environmentals’ reports clearly identify whether the inspected property contains lead based paint and identify the locations and condition of all positive components. The reports will discuss testing procedures, applicable regulatory limits and regulations, and cost effective treatment options if lead based paint is found. Our reports can be sent to lead abatement contractors to have them provide cost estimates to abate or control any found lead.
JLM Environmental performs all Lead Based Paint (LBP) inspections and risk assessments in accordance with all state and federal guidelines for the evaluation and control of LBP. All our technicians are certified as inspector/assessors via the California Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch. Our inspectors will perform a surface by surface investigation for the presence of lead based paint in all building components in the interior and on the exterior: walls, doors, windows, baseboards, ceilings, eaves, rafters, fascia, baseboards, ceramic tile etc. Sampling procedures available are: dust wipe, paint chip, XRF analyzers, soil or air samples.
Clearance Testing
Do I need Clearance testing after work is completed?
Yes, dust wipe analysis protects all parties involved; the contractor, homeowner, and building residents. The clearance process provides the contractor with an impartial determination that the project was completed safely. The owner will have assurance that any amounts of leaded dust remaining in the house are at safe levels. Residents can be certain that the home is safe for them and their children.
After any lead hazard control activity, a lead clearance examination should be conducted. A lead clearance typically includes a visual inspection to make sure lead-based paint hazards have been properly addressed. Dust sampling methods are then used to verify that lead-contaminated dust has not been generated and spread during lead hazard control activities. The dust wipe sample would generally be taken on the floors, window sills and horizontal surfaces. The Clearance Test confirms whether the contractor/painter took all necessary precautions to contain the work area, and clean it. If a lead hazard is still found to be present, the contractor must re-clean the work areas via wet methods and HEPA vacuuming until the work area has been cleared.
XRF Lead Paint Analyzer
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When there’s no room for error, choose the industry standard for lead testing. We bring the lab to the field. Our XRF analyzer quickly identifies and quantifies lead in paint and ceramics. The XRF is considered the best field testing method available to inspectors today. It offers the accuracy of x-ray technology, speed (most readings take less than 5 seconds), and causes no damage to the building material. The XRF reads through multiple layers of paint and substrates to reveal the exact amount of lead present in a material. The XRF measures the amount of lead in paint and provides the inspector with a digital read-out that specifies which components of the home (if any) contain lead above the action level.
XRF Advantages include:
- Small, hand-held, portable, non destructive, instant results
Disadvantages of using chemical test kit Chemical test kits are not recommended by the EPA because of the possibility of false readings and because the tests do not tell how much lead is present in the paint. Sometimes the color change is difficult to interpret--especially if dark colors are being tested. The chemical test does not tell you how much lead is present. Sometimes the test indicates lead is present when it is not (a false positive) and other times indicates lead is not present when it is (a false negative). The chemical tests only test the exposed layers, not the underlying layers that may be more likely to contain lead.
