Fact Sheet

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SERVICE: A LEAD-BASED PAINT INSPECTION OR RISK ASSESSMENT FOR YOUR HOME

GEI Inc. has two (2) Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) Certified Lead-Based Paint Inspectors and Certified Lead Risk Assessors, the company President and Vice-President.  Only company owners will conduct your property survey......no temp techs here!  GEI Inc. is licensed through Louisiana DEQ and receives reciprocity in the lower southern state DEQ offices to conduct LBP Inspections and Assessments across the Gulf South Region.

State DEQ agencies realize that choosing the right lead-based paint (LBP) professional to work in your home is a very important decision. According to EPA and HUD, as many as 64 million homes nationwide contain LBP. That translates into approximately three quarters of the nation's housing built before 1978.

The Centers for Disease Control report that even though lead poisoning is preventable, 1.7 million children have elevated blood lead levels. Lead dust can be ingested by hand-to-mouth activities. Children under six years of age are particularly susceptible. Once absorbed into the body, even low levels of lead exposure may cause learning disabilities, IQ deficits, decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing, behavioral problems, and brain damage.

The good news is that LBP poses little risk if it is properly managed and maintained. If LBP is present in a home and is allowed to deteriorate, the health of the occupants can be threatened. However, once identified and if properly maintained, LBP poses little risk to occupants. Therefore, hiring a certified LBP Inspector or Risk Assessor can help provide valuable information about LBP to allow the owner or potential buyer to make an informed decision.

Identification of deteriorating LBP and its potential hazards can be accomplished through two types of evaluations: Lead-Based Paint Inspection or Risk Assessment. Simply put, the difference between these two types of evaluations is that an inspection determines if lead is present in paint, what the concentration of lead is in paint, and where the leaded paint is located; a risk assessment identifies the presence or absence of LBP hazards, their source, severity, and recommends options to control those hazards.

The property owner or potential buyer should choose the type of evaluation that is most beneficial, depending on his or her unique needs.

A lead-based paint inspection is beneficial prior to:
Sale of property, turnover
Insurance request
Remodeling, renovation, or repainting
Weatherization
Abatement of lead-based paint

A risk assessment is beneficial in the following cases:
Interim controls
Sale of property, turnover

LBP Inspector

Measures concentration of lead in paint through a surface-by-surface investigation

Determines exact locations of lead-based paint

Does Not determine whether paint presents an immediate hazard
Does Not offer any guidance on lead hazard control
Does Not take dust or soil samples

Lead Risk Assessor

May perform all Inspector duties

Focuses on deteriorated lead-based paint

Identifies lead-based paint hazards

Considers resident and owner use patterns

Considers management and maintenance practices that will affect the paint

Identifies existence, nature, severity, source, and location of hazards

Presents options to control hazards

May take dust and soil samples

Whether an inspection or risk assessment is chosen, be careful to hire only those Inspectors or Risk Assessors that are DEQ certified. State DEQ certification ensures that the professional has been trained and has successfully completed an exam regarding proper procedures for inspections and risk assessments.