The Earth and Energy Around You

Posted on: 23 September 2021

Most of the discussion surrounding lead-based paint centers on its harmful effects on young children. It was commonly used in home construction up to the late 1970s, so many families have lead inspections performed in their homes to check for its presence. Even if you don't have children, however, having a lead inspection done can help you protect your health. To learn more about the dangers that lead-based paint poses to adults and why a lead inspection is a good idea to protect your health, read on.

Is Lead-Based Paint Harmful to Adults?

Even though children are more vulnerable due to their small size and the fact that they're still developing, lead-based paint still poses a health hazard to adults. Lead primarily causes neurological symptoms, and chronic exposure can lead to difficulty concentrating, some changes in behavior, and trouble sleeping.

Over time, it can also begin to cause damage to your gastrointestinal tract and your kidneys as well. You may experience vomiting and diarrhea as your gastrointestinal tract is affected by lead exposure, and you may develop high blood pressure if the kidney damage hampers your ability to regulate your body's sodium and potassium levels.

Any time you touch lead-based paint in your home or disturb it, you may expose yourself to lead. Touching peeling lead-based paint and then eating food may cause you to ingest lead, and breathing in the paint dust produced when opening or closing a window painted with lead-based paint can also expose you to lead.

In adults, lead exposure sometimes goes unnoticed. Low levels of lead exposure may not result in any symptoms at all, or it may result in symptoms that are hard to identify the cause of such as brain fog and insomnia. However, there's no safe level of lead exposure, and even small amounts can begin to damage your organs — even if they're not causing any noticeable symptoms of lead poisoning.

Is Lead Inspection Worth It if You Don't Have Kids? 

Yes, a lead inspection is still worth it when no children are living in your home. A lead inspection surveys your entire home and identifies areas that have lead paint. Lead-based paint that's in an area where it's likely to be disturbed, such as a window or a stair railing, should be painted over to prevent anyone from being exposed to lead dust when they touch it. Lead that's in an area that's unlikely to be touched such as a wall can usually be left alone, as it doesn't present a big risk — however, you may want to paint over it too if you want to be as safe as possible from lead exposure.

In short, lead-based paint still presents a danger to adults so you should do what you can to minimize exposure. When you call a lead inspection company, someone will come to your home and identify all the lead-based paint using a portable X-ray device. Once you know where it is, you can take steps to protect yourself from it by painting over it or by remembering to never disturb it. Contact companies like LEW Corporation to learn more.