Lead is a natural element typically found in the earth’s crust. It is also present in small amounts nearly everywhere—it’s in the air, water, soil, and even inside our homes! Indeed, it offers some benefits, including its use in car batteries and in the glass of television and computer screens to protect viewers from radiation. However, it can also be toxic and detrimental to both humans and animals, especially when ingested.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint on them. So if you are planning to purchase a house or do renovations on your current property (e.g., having a Danvers roofing replacement), you must first confirm that the roofing materials are lead-safe. Here are seven ways to make your home lead-safe:
- Check your home for peeling, chipping, or deteriorating paint regularly. For painted areas like your windows, doors, and stairways, remove any paint residue.
- Keep the painted surfaces of your house in good condition to stop their deterioration.
- Wash your hands, remove your shoes, or wipe off soil remnants to avoid lead dust from getting inside your home.
- Clean your flooring, window sills, and other surfaces regularly.
- Hire only EPA- or state-approved lead-safe certified contractors in your home improvement project plans.
- Keep children from ingesting lead paint chips and dust.
- Make it a habit to check the label for information on the substances present. Be cautious in buying toys for your kids or other home essentials as some may contain lead.
Hire a Lead-Safe Certified Firm In case dangerous levels of lead are present in your property, repair or replacement for your roofing in Danvers MA or other parts of your home may be inevitable. So choose a company that places great importance not only in providing excellent roofing, but also in keeping the house and those living in it safe. We at A&A Services are a lead-safe establishment that offers CertainTeed’s shingle roofing, Firestone’s single-ply EPDM roofing, and more. If you need more information on our lead-safe services, just call us at (978) 741-0424.
