Charlotte’s Get The Lead Out Joins the Hilton Hotel Chain Disaster Response Program

Get The Lead Out® was just selected by the Hilton national hotel chain to be involved with their national disaster response program for the eastern seaboard!

Get The Lead Out® is a nationwide lead paint, asbestos, mold and radon gas testing and removal company based here in Charlotte.  We have performed thousands of tests and inspections on all types of buildings and houses since we began in 1993.

Hilton selected Get The Lead Out® to participate in the Hilton Disaster Response Program for our depth of services and experience pertaining to detecting and removing potentially hazardous materials that might surface following some type of disaster.

“Buildings that were constructed prior to the mid-1970′s could have used lead-based paint or asbestos in some part of the building process,” said Get The Lead Out® Principal Scientist Pete Hubicki.  “If there is damage to parts of a building from a tornado or other natural disaster, or maybe a fire, some of these materials could be released or exposed if they existed.”

Get The Lead Out®’s emergency response duties will include identifying possible material threats, isolating these hazards, and safely removing them.

If your company would like to establish an emergency response action plan or program, please call Pete Hubicki at Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz.

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Charlotte Asbestos Testing for a Standard Home Begins at $250 plus $15 per Sample!

Get The Lead Out® has tested thousands of homes, apartment buildings and commercial buildings for Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) since 1993.  We are a professional company with experienced, qualified, licensed asbestos inspectors that will uncover any asbestos-containing material on your property!  It is estimated that thirty million tons of asbestos building materials were used in the U.S. between 1900 and 1975 with probably eighty to ninety percent of that still in place.  This is why it can be found in many commercial and residential buildings built before 1975.  Because of its needle-like shape, an asbestos fiber can stick to lung tissue if inhaled and cause an inflammation.

Types of Professional Asbestos Tests

There are two types of professional asbestos tests that Get The Lead Out® inspectors use to identify the presence of asbestos.  One is a basic test and the other is a more advanced test.  As asbestos fibers cannot be seen without the use of a microscope, these two methods are the recognized tests that the EPA utilizes.

PLM (Polarized Light Microscopy) Test
The EPA requires that the asbestos content of suspect materials be determined by analyzing samples with polarized light microscopy (PLM). PLM analysis results give the percent and type of asbestos in the sample. The asbestos content of manufactured items ranges from one percent to 100 percent.  Our experienced and licensed asbestos inspectors carefully target and collect enough individual samples to proficiently determine the presence of asbestos.  These samples are then shared with our EPA-approved laboratory partners. With this method, a small amount of the sample is crushed and placed on a microscope slide using the appropriate refractive index oil. Polarized light is used to observe the many optical properties of asbestos fibers that allow the microscopist to distinguish it from non-asbestos fibers.

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Test
TEM is also used to identify and quantify asbestos in a bulk sample. TEM uses a beam of electrons from a filament in a vacuum. The TEM's electron beam passes through the sample and an image is displaced onto a screen. Using an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and a computer system, information about the fiber's elemental properties can be gathered and graphed in their appropriate ratios. The higher magnification used by the TEM allows for more accurate asbestos concentration estimations in samples that contain very little asbestos (less than 5%). TEM samples are ashed at 480°C for 6-8 hours to eliminate the organic binder and/or tar material, and are then treated with acid for a few minutes to eliminate the carbonate material. This allows hidden asbestos fibers to surface and be easily noticed and identified under the TEM.

Cost of Basic PLM Asbestos Test
A basic PLM Asbestos Test with Get The Lead Out® costs $250 plus $15 per sample.  The number of samples collected at your home depends upon the initial survey and findings of our inspector.  The variance in cost is tied to the number of samples that are collected for testing.

The cost of a TEM test varies widely and we can give you an estimate for bulk sample collecting under this very advanced asbestos testing method.

Please call Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz to find out more about PLM and TEM asbestos testing for your home.  Peace of mind and general safety for your family is the very reason we provide these asbestos tests. 

 

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Charlotte Asbestos Testing & Asbestos Removal Before You Remodel

Are you thinking about remodeling your home?  Was your home built before the 1970’s?  There could be a chance that some of the materials used in the construction of your home contain asbestos.  Get The Lead Out® can professionally assist you with the identification, assessment, and management of asbestos. Our expertise, training, and up-to-date regulatory knowledge allows us to provide comprehensive and complete asbestos testing and consultation.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance.

What could contain asbestos in your home today?

Most products made today do not contain asbestos. those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. however, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos.

Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which may release fibers, include:

Resilient floor tiles (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on vinyl sheet flooring, and adhesives used for installing floor tile. sanding tiles can release fibers. so may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal.

Patching and joint compounds for walls and ceilings, textured paints and ceiling texture. sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos.

Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.

Steam pipes, boilers, and furnace ducts insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. these materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.

Cement sheet, millboard, and paper used as insulation around furnaces and wood burning stoves. repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers. so may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation.

Door gaskets in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use.

Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings. loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. so will sanding, drilling, or scraping the material.

Get The Lead Out® will make sure make sure that the asbestos inspection will include a complete visual examination and the careful collection and lab analysis of samples. If asbestos is present in your home, our report will provide a written evaluation describing its location and give recommendations for correction or prevention.

For more information about residential asbestos inspections, please call Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz.  We look forward to working with you and keeping your home safe from the dangers of asbestos.

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Charlotte Remodeling Project - Do You Know if Your Home has Lead Paint or Asbestos?

Are you remodeling a Charlotte home that was built prior to 1978?  If you are, do you know the new rules for remodeling a house that may have lead paint or asbestos?  Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.

Get The Lead Out® is a supporter and proponent of having EPA-certified construction and renovation companies work on your home’s remodeling project if they will disturb lead paint!  Under the current EPA rule, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

If you are a homeowner performing renovation, repair, or painting work in your own home, EPA's rule does not cover your project. However, you have the ultimate responsibility for the safety of your family or children in your care!

Get The Lead Out® can help.  We have provided professional, reliable expert lead paint testing since 1993. Our basic $350 lead paint test for a typical  2,000 sq.ft. house will uncover any lead paint within your home.  You will receive an easy-to-read, comprehensive report of our findings.  If we do find traces of lead paint within your house, we will also offer you plans on dealing with it.

It pays for you to know if you have dangerous lead paint in your home before any remodeling or renovation work is performed.  Just be safe!  Call Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz and we will talk with you about lead paint testing and schedule your home’s test!

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Pregnant Women are Extremely Susceptible to Lead Poisoning!

Get The Lead Out® in Charlotte has been promoting the dangers of lead paint poisoning to pregnant women and parents with small children since the mid-1990’s.  Lead paint poisoning in young children is needless and can be avoided with simple, proper lead paint testing and removal if necessary.

Pregnant women are extremely susceptible to lead poisoning, absorbing 50% of the lead they ingest.  Get The Lead Out® supports the wonderful work and efforts of the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning based out of Maryland.  Lead paint poisoning affects over 1 million children today.

Lead can enter a pregnant woman's blood stream and pass through the placenta and harm the unborn child.  This lead poisoning may result in low birth weight, stillbirth or miscarriage.

Pregnant women and new mothers must be cautious and proactive, taking the necessary measures to ensure that their child is born healthy and lead free. If an older home is being renovated, pregnant women and small children should not be present until all debris has been removed and the home vacuumed using a HEPA vacuum.  Nutrition, hand washing and special cleaning practices will help reduce risk.

Get The Lead Out® in Charlotte offers our basic lead paint test starting at $350 for up to a 2,000 sq. ft. house.  You can learn more about our $350 basic lead paint test here.  Call Get The Lead Out® in Charlotte at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz.  We can help you understand more about the dangers of pregnancy and young children being exposed to lead-based paint!

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What Does an Average Lead Paint Test Cost in Charlotte?

This is our number one question at Get The Lead Out®.  How much does an average lead paint test cost for the average home?  Our basic lead paint test for a 2,000 sq.ft. house starts at $350 from Get The Lead Out®.  $350 to find out, for sure, if your home has any lead paint inside.  $350 for peace of mind.  $350 to know that your children and family are safe from lead paint poisoning.

What is included in an average lead paint test in Charlotte?  At Get The Lead Out®, we have been professionally testing for residential lead paint since 1993.  Our licensed lead paint inspectors are professionally trained and licensed by the State of North Carolina.  And we’ve test literally thousands of Charlotte homes for lead paint over the past 18 years!  So the first thing you receive with our basic lead paint test is a professional, experienced lead paint inspector from Get The Lead Out®.

You will also receive a comprehensive, easy-to-read lead paint findings report.  Our reports will disclose where, if any, lead paint was found in your home.  We also document our findings with photographs and readings from our testing instruments. 

Plus you will receive our professional opinion concerning treatment and removal of any lead paint found in your home.  No need to panic!  If there is a need, we can professionally manage the safe removal of lead paint from your home.

$350.  $350 for our basic lead paint test for a home under 2,000 sq.ft.  It’s good peace of mind from Charlotte’s most-trusted professional lead paint inspection company.  For more information, please call Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz. 

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Charlotte Remodeling Project Can Uncover Harmful Lead Paint or Asbestos - A Real Danger to Pregnant Women and Small Children!

Whoa!  Wait a minute!  Stop!  Charlotte’s Get The Lead Out® says that regardless of what part of the house your Charlotte remodeling project takes place in, there are good work practices that you can use to help minimize or prevent indoor air and other indoor environmental problems like lead paint and asbestos poisoning.

A good thought to adopt prior to beginning any remodeling home is that you should assume that any paint in homes built before 1978 in Charlotte contains lead!  Until you find out for sure, treat the paint as containing lead!

Get The Lead Out® suggests at least starting with our basic $350 Lead Paint Test.  Our basic $350 Lead Paint Test will uncover any lead paint to be found inside your 2,000 sq.ft. or less home.  We do offer tests for homes that are larger than 2,000 sq.ft.  Our Lead Paint Test is a professional lead paint testing and inspection process conducted by a licensed, experienced Get The Lead Out® inspector.  We also provide you with an easy-to-understand, comprehensive Lead Paint Inspection Report that will outline any areas found to contain lead paint.

OK, now you’re ready to move forward with your remodeling project.  Get The Lead Out® is aligned with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and we firmly believe in supporting their good work practices, which include:

Correct the underlying cause of any problem.  For example, if you are repairing a damaged paint surface, look to see what might have caused the damage, e.g., moisture from the inside (such as condensation), or from the outside (as with roof leaks), rubbing or impact of painted surfaces, or structural damage.

Do Not Disturb Asbestos. If a project requires disturbing areas that contain asbestos, contact Get The Lead Out® or contact your health department for advice before proceeding. Asbestos is harmful to children and pregnant women!

Avoid Exposure to Mold or Bacteria. Basic Mold Cleanup. Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposure include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints. The key to mold control is moisture control. It is important to dry damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles and carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced!  Get The Lead Out® can test and treat your home for harmful molds.

Avoid Creating Dust (and Contain Dust That Can't Be Avoided). Many remodeling activities, from demolition to removing wood casings, have the potential to create dust. Use low-dust work practices (for example, mist surfaces with water before sanding or scraping). Cover the area under work with a durable protective sheeting (e.g., a plastic or poly tarp). Use barriers to keep dust contained to immediate work area.

You can learn more about good work practices during remodeling by visiting this EPA site.

To learn more about how Get The Lead Out® in Charlotte can provide affordable Lead Paint Testing and Asbestos Testing, please call us at 704-376-3594 or email peteh@gettheleadout.biz.  Get The Lead Out® has conducted thousands of Lead Paint and Asbestos inspections since 1993!

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