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Many of the leading testing kits on the market claim to provide clear, easy-to-interpret results within 5-10 minutes. Consider scheduling a home water inspection for maximum reliability. If you're not in any particular hurry to find out what's in your home's water, call you local water supplier or utilities board and see if they offer free home testing.
If the pipes are dark in color and look like metal material, the pipes could be lead or galvanized steel. A first-draw sample will come from your pipes first thing in the morning or after a period of stagnant water. Often, first thing in the morning after a quiet night is the best time to conduct this draw.
( Safe Home DIY LEAD in Drinking Water Test Kit – At Home Testing for Lead
You may also be able to track down an EPA-certified lead testing kit at your local hardware shop or home improvement center. If the tests are completed quickly, you can sometimes bridge the gap by purchasing bottled water. However, if the tests come up positive, you’ll need a longer-term solution. However, if you have high levels of lead in your home, try to reduce your exposure. Adults with built-up lead or ongoing lead exposure may suffer from hypertension, increased blood pressure, or other cardiovascular problems. Adults may notice that their kidney is not working well and they can even experience reproductive issues.
Filters need to go under rigorous testing through NSF to be certified to remove lead. Always look for those filters that meet the criteria of NSF standard 53 . The simplest way to test water at home is to buy a water lead test kit.
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If you discover unsafe levels of lead in your home, your next step will be to contact an EPA-certified risk assessor for further inspection or possible removal. You should then test a second sample, taken after the water has been running for several minutes, to flush out the pipes. These different test sections of the plumbing are the pipes within the home and theservice lineconnecting the home to the municipal water system. In most cases, you should be able to tell if you have lead with these water lead testing methods, but it’s not a great idea to leave these things to chance. That’s why we recommend getting an official test done by a private lab or the municipality. Another way to measure the exact lead content in your drinking water is to contact your water supplier or municipality.
On the other hand, avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, sodas, and sodium-rich foods as they’re only contributing to dehydration you’re trying to prevent. The best way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to drink more water throughout the day and keep your kidneys working at their optimal level. The symptoms often include confusion, dizziness, seizures, slurred speech, and loss of consciousness.
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It is bio-cumulative in nature which means it accumulates in your body over time. So even under low lead exposure, the stored lead can turn out fatal in the long run. Did you know that hot water dissolves higher levels of lead than cold water? Therefore, don’t use hot water straight from your faucet for drinking or cooking.
If a pipe breaks, you’ll need to shut off the water to your house to minimize damage. In most single-family homes, the valve is in the basement or crawl space, on a wall facing the street. In doing so, Newark became a model not only because of how quickly it worked but also because of how well it engaged its residents in the project. If any of your samples test positive for lead, or if you have children under the age of 6, you should contact a professional to test for lead and advise you about removal or abatement.
While this may not be a cost-effective solution over a long period of time, it may be a good option for a short period. You can find certified tested water using the search tool at info.nsf.org/certified/bwpi. If you think you’ve determined that your home has lead pipes, you may wish to contact a plumber or another expert to confirm the results and ask about water testing or pipe replacement. Lead pipes — “typically the most significant source of lead in the water” — are more likely to be found in homes built before 1986, the EPA says. If your home was built after 1986, lead pipes are less likely, but lead may still enter your water through pipe solder or fittings. A home’s main water line is typically the main source of lead in drinking water.
Soil near the base of older, dilapidated buildings is also frequently contaminated. Unsurprisingly, many areas with high SVI rankings also have large numbers of lead-poisoned children. The CDC stresses that any amount of the heavy metal is unsafe, now defining lead poisoning as 3.5 micrograms per deciliter of lead or more in the bloodstream.
Municipal water suppliers are held to less than 15 parts per billion EPA lead standards. Water suppliers will test your home’s tap water for free in many cities. To find out if your supplier offers this service, simply give them a call or send an email. You can usually check your city’s website for utilities and water quality pages to find the supplier’s contact information. Have your water tested to find out for certain if you have lead in your drinking water. Some states or utilities offer programs to pay for water testing and/or lead service line replacement for residents.
The water filtration company may try to pitch its filter systems to you after you’ve taken the test. This level is critical to know to select the perfect filtration method. Even if it’s in trace amounts in your water, removing yourself from the lead source is significantly important. The report highlights all important information about the quality and source of your water. In addition, you will find a list of contaminants along with their level of concentration. Hire a local water expert or treatment company – They will also provide you with treatment solutions.
Most of the natural movement of lead in the environment is due to storm runoff, erosion from flooding, and other natural occurrences that displace it from its usual resting places. However, this only accounts for a small fraction of the lead that ends up in tap water. That’s why I recommend anyone that has not tested their water for the presence of lead to do so along with doing a broad enough test to detect the presence of many other harmful water contaminants too. I know that when I move into a new home, it’s also one of the priority water contaminants that I want to make sure are not found in my new residence’s drinking water. Transfer your fresh paint sample to a pre-filled vial of Solution 1.
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