December 21, 2022
Lead removal and asbestos removal are two extremely important topics and necessary services for anyone looking to buy a home built before the 1970s. These substances pose extreme health risks to the residents of the home If you live in an older home and don’t know whether you need lead removal or asbestos removal, SMART Environmental Services in Kansas City is here to help.
Lead
Health Risks
Per the CDC website, “exposure to high levels of lead may cause anemia, weakness, and kidney and brain damage. Very high lead exposure can cause death,”. Lead exposure in an expecting mother will also expose their unborn child, causing potential damage to their nervous system. Neurological and behavioral effects of lead are believed to be irreversible. These are terrible health issues, if your home was built before 1978, let SMART Environmental Services offer our professional lead removal services.
Sources of Exposure:
- Homes built before lead paint was banned in 1978
- Certain water pipes
- Can be found in some toys and jewelry
Lead based paint is perhaps the largest problem among these three. If lead paint was used and finished poorly, the paint can start to shed flakes which can put your children or pets at risk if they were to eat them. Alternatively, if lead removal has not happened and you are unaware of the lead in the paint and do any kind of sanding, scraping, chipping, or other forms of friction against the surface, you can release particles of lead dust into the air. From the EPA, “Adults exposed to lead paint can suffer from high blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, diminished motor skills, fatigue and memory loss,”.
Asbestos
Health Risks
Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to various lung conditions. These include mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. These risks take years to develop and there is no immediate health risk from asbestos unless it is damaged or disturbed. It’s better to not take these risks at all, professional asbestos removal is the best course of action if you believe you have asbestos in your home.
Sources of Exposure
If asbestos removal is handled incorrectly, the following products can lead to fibers being released into the air that can contaminate and endanger your health:
- Door gaskets in furnaces and wood and coal stoves
- Asbestos cement roofing, shingles and siding
- Resilient floor tiles, the backing on vinyl sheet flooring, and adhesives used for installing floor tile
- Patching and joint compounds for walls and ceilings
- Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings
- Paper tape insulation on steam pipes, boilers, and furnace ducts
If you need professional lead removal or asbestos removal for your older home in the Kansas City area, SMART Environmental Services can handle it. Call us at (913) 355-5303 or click here to contact us online. Don’t put having either of these substances removed from your home off until later, our experienced professional team is here to help
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