Lead test kits, review of the most popular kits on the market

With today’s technology, the word home test kit has become a common phrase in our society. From asbestos to radon and then on to mold and even home drug dusting kits. Now, with the new laws, we now hear the words LEAD TEST KITS. This is not by mistake or unintentionally, but because of the new laws that went into effect this year that all come under the RRP (Repair, Renovate, and Paint rule) banner that was created several years ago by the EPA. Lead can make people of any age sick, but young children are most at risk; millions upon thousands of them in the US have elevated levels in their blood, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The most common place where children pick up lead contamination is from lead dust that is ingested into the body through the air or by touching contaminated items.

This article is to bring you up to speed on a few different types of lead test kits that are available on the market today:

1- ABOTEX LEAD INSPECTOR – One of the common kits you will see most advertised and works like a swab test that is very easy for a homeowner to use. The test will indicate if there is lead in the surface being tested by turning pink or red depending on the lead concentration. The downside of this unit is that it is not as instant as you might think. It can take up to two hours to detect lead on the swab. A strong odor is also released when the two chemicals are mixed on the swab for testing. We strongly suggest that you have enough ventilation and wear protection when using this kit.

2- FIRST ALERT: This kit is very similar to the Abotex Lead Inspector kit in that it is a swab based kit. One of the downsides we noticed was that you had to run more than one test to create a baseline to see if the results are the same. This procedure is an expense that you must use more than one test to get the results on a single surface. The downside is that you still have a bottle of solution that you have to dip the swab into and then rub on the surface being tested, this does not allow for a controlled test. Also, the price is on a slightly high scale for just a four-swab kit compared to other swab-type kits.

3- LEADCHECK LEAD TEST KIT – The Lead Check Lead Test Kit is probably the easiest lead paint detection kit to use. The swab contains the chemicals inside the swab tube used for the process. The chemicals are in two individual glass tubes much like an ammonia inhalant, once the tubes are opened they are quickly shaken to mix the chemicals and the swab is rubbed on the area to be tested. There are no chemicals or odors to deal with and test results are visible in about 10-30 seconds. This lead test kit is one of three that are acceptable nationwide for use with the new RRP Rule for Lead Paint Renovations and Lead-Safe Work Areas.

4- DLEAD TEST KIT – This is the newest lead paint detection kit on the market and is recognized by the EPA for use with the new RRP lead safe work practices. The test kit is not even on the market at the time of this writing, but in reviewing the product we have noticed that the biggest drawback is that several liquid vial components and equipment are needed to get the same results as the Lead Check. . Instant lead detection kit. This product will be available in the coming months.

The test kits listed above are the most popular on the market. You will of course find other kits available to buy with other pros and cons than the ones we have listed here. If you are an EPA Certified Renovator, please note that the only widely available lead test kit on the market today is the LeadCheck Lead Test Kit. This test kit comes with verification cards with the test kit to confirm that each test kit works and has acceptable results to maintain a lead safe workplace.