Lead

Lead is a highly toxic metal that was used for many years in paint, pipes, and other household materials. In 1978 it became illegal to use lead paint in residential housing. In the 1980s most states banned the use of lead solder for domestic water supplies. Anyone purchasing an older home should consider testing for lead in the water and on interior and exterior surfaces. High lead levels in blood have been proven to cause many negative health effects, including behavioral problems, learning disabilities, seizures, and even death. Children are not becoming lead poisoned by eating paint chips like potato chips; most children are becoming poisoned from prolonged exposure to lead dust. All of our inspectors have been trained to extract dust samples from homes to identify a number of contaminants, including lead dust. The inspectors will utilize either dust wipes, tape medium or high velocity vacuum pumps and fiber cassettes to extract samples that will be sent to an approved laboratory for analysis. When the results return our professional inspectors will identify the severity of any conditions that exist.

Asbestos identification testing:

Prior to being banned in 1970s asbestos containing materials (ACMs) were used in a variety of materials including acoustical tiles, caulking, wall board, tile adhesives, shingles, roofing felt and tiles, pipe and boiler insulation. Asbestos containing materials are considered a health hazard in homes, offices and schools. All AHI inspectors are trained to identify building materials that may contain asbestos fibers. Positive identification of ACMs may only be conducted by a certified asbestos consultant and requires sample extraction and laboratory testing. Many of our inspectors are certified to conduct the sampling needed to identify ACMs. This type of sampling is conducted with high velocity vacuum pumps, and fiber cassettes, with tape or bulk sampling.