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Checking Your Home for Lead Hazards <br />Just knowing <br />that a home <br />has lead - <br />based paint <br />may not tell <br />you if there <br />is a hazard. <br />M <br />You can get your home checked for lead haz- <br />ards in one of two ways, or both: <br />A paint inspection tells you the lead <br />content of every different type of painted <br />surface in your home. It won't tell you <br />whether the paint is a hazard or how you <br />should deal with it. <br />♦ A risk assessment tells you if there are <br />any sources of serious lead exposure <br />(such as peeling paint and lead dust). It <br />also tells you what actions to take to <br />address these hazards. <br />Have qualified professionals do the work. <br />There are standards in place for certifying <br />lead -based paint professionals to ensure the <br />work is done safely, reliably, and effectively. <br />Contact your state lead poisoning prevention <br />program for more information. Call 1-800- <br />424-LEAD for a list of contacts in your area. <br />Trained professionals use a range of methods <br />when checking your home, including: <br />Visual inspection of paint condition and <br />location. <br />♦ A portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) <br />machine. <br />♦ Lab tests of paint samples. <br />Surface dust tests. <br />Home test kits for lead are available, but <br />studies suggest that they are not always <br />accurate. Consumers should not rely on <br />these tests before doing renovations or to <br />assure safety. <br />