When taking soil samples along the building foundation, what is the recommended distance between samples?

The recommended distance between soil samples taken along a building foundation is typically 2 to 3 feet apart. This distance is suggested to ensure that the samples collected provide a representative assessment of lead contamination in the soil surrounding the structure. By spacing the samples adequately, one can capture variations in lead levels that may occur due to factors like historical paint deterioration, surface runoff, or differences in soil composition.

This approach balances the need to obtain enough data points while minimizing excessive sampling, which may not yield significantly different results. Collecting samples that are too close together may lead to redundancy, and spacing them too far apart could miss important areas where lead may be concentrated. Thus, a distance of 2 to 3 feet strikes an appropriate compromise for thorough and effective sampling in risk assessment practices.