Lead is a hazard when ingested or inhaled. Drinking water that has traveled through lead in pipes, breathing dust from sanding lead-based paint—these poison the body. Even though the amounts taken in may be minute, this toxin builds up over time, causing serious neurological conditions.

Children younger than six years old are particularly vulnerable (this is why the hazards of toys containing lead paint make the headlines). If you have young children, it’s wise to test for lead in your home. If you have concerns about lead in your plumbing, test your drinking water. Lead paint is a hazard when it is exposed as the surface coat, if it is deteriorating, or if you sand or scrape it when remodeling.

If you think that your house may contain dangerous concentrations of lead, you have a few options. You can start by conducting a preliminary test yourself. Manual testing kits are available online or at hardware stores or home improvement centers. Though these test kits are inexpensive and easy to use, hiring a professional lead abatement contractor or risk assessor is the only way to definitively quantify the risk.

Most professional lead inspectors tender one of two separate services—inspections and risk assessments—although some may be licensed to perform both. Usually, paint inspections will inform you as to the content of lead in your home’s interior or exterior paint. But these tests usually don’t enlighten you as to the hazards or potential risks involved with the results. This is what a risk assessment is intended to do.

Risk assessors will alert you to any significant sources of lead exposure, such as peeling paint or excessive levels of lead in dust, and will provide you options for tackling the problem. Either of these examinations typically costs around $300 depending on the extent of the work, your location, and the service provider.

But before you hire someone to inspect your home for lead, you should determine what their credentials are. Many states—but not all—have established certification programs that endorse individuals to assess lead-related hazards in residential homes. If your state does not have such a program, check with the county and city in which you live to find out if they offer a similar one.

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